~~~
Su Jinglan finally got her wish and climbed into Ning Jiuwei’s car.
Cars filled the parking spots on both sides. The SUV to the left had a high chassis and a massive body that completely blocked the side-facing camera. Su Jinglan fastened her seatbelt and, just as Ning Jiuwei hit the electronic parking brake, grasped her hand.
The instant their skin made contact, Ning Jiuwei’s heart jolted as if pierced by a dull thorn. The sharp sting made her yank her hand back immediately.
Ning Jiuwei stared silently at Su Jinglan. Her beautiful peach-blossom eyes held no trace of amusement, and the message in her gaze was plain to read—What are you doing?
“Can’t Designer Ning’s car auto-release the parking brake?” The sensation from the back of her hand lingered on Su Jinglan’s fingertips. She really must have had too much to drink. Staring at Ning Jiuwei’s elegant fingers, her body moved faster than her brain, craving the feel of their fingers interlaced.
Su Jinglan rubbed her fingers lightly, trapping the memory in her palm.
Ning Jiuwei turned her head to face forward, easing down on the accelerator while turning the wheel. “I didn’t set it up for auto-release.”
The car’s electronic parking brake could be configured to disengage automatically with the accelerator, but Ning Jiuwei found that convenience too risky for her sense of security. She stuck with the manual button by default.
They pulled out of the Yuejun Underground Parking Garage into the pitch-black night, now aglow with the lights of countless homes. The city’s iconic buildings stood like lighthouses on a vast ocean, guiding travelers through the darkness.
Ning Jiuwei didn’t wake the Smart System. Instead, she navigated by the silhouettes of skyscrapers and the map in her head, heading straight for Su Jinglan’s place.
Both women lived in the heart of the city’s bustling core, so the trip should have been short. But the roads were clogged with traffic, and no matter how much Ning Jiuwei wanted to speed up, she couldn’t.
The silence in the car grew uncomfortably thick. Ning Jiuwei tried to think of the passenger beside her as Designer Little Jiang, willing her restless heart back into place.
A gentle gaze settled on her profile. Ning Jiuwei felt an unusual heat blooming on her right cheek. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the passenger seat. Su Jinglan lounged against the headrest, staring at her without a care for who might notice.
Even the subtlest movements didn’t escape Su Jinglan’s sharp eyes in the dim night. She let out a soft chuckle, shattering the quiet. “Does Designer Ning find this president utterly detestable?”
“No,” Ning Jiuwei replied politely, her smile as warm and steady as ever. “Staying over at President Su’s home last night was a huge imposition. Driving President Su back today lets me settle that debt.”
“I’d like Designer Ning to do me a favor.” Su Jinglan wasn’t about to let her off that easily. “Designer Ning wouldn’t refuse, would she?”
Who could say no after that? Ning Jiuwei kept her eyes on the road as she responded. “President Su, just tell me. You’re my boss—if it’s work-related and within my power, I won’t hesitate.”
Personal requests? She’d turn those down flat. Work she didn’t want? She’d claim it was impossible. Ning Jiuwei had her escape routes mapped out, leaving Su Jinglan no room to maneuver.
“Teacher Ning can definitely handle it.”
Su Jinglan switched to “Teacher Ning” out of nowhere. Ning Jiuwei’s hands twitched on the wheel, sending the car swerving toward the next lane.
Luckily, no vehicle was keeping pace beside them, or it would have been a crash.
Ning Jiuwei clamped down on the steering wheel and bit the inside of her lip. “What kind of favor does President Su need from me?”
The pain helped keep her head clear. Ning Jiuwei told herself to stay calm, stay composed.
Su Jinglan dangled the bait. “I’ll tell Teacher Ning later.”
The vibrant street scenes blurred past in the reflections of the car windows. Ning Jiuwei pulled up to the community entrance, and the barrier arm lifted automatically.
The community’s security ran on an AI system—Ning Jiuwei’s own residential complex used the same setup. Even after one visit, the system logged license plates. Unless you were a resident, you’d need to punch in a guest code every time.
So why had the barrier risen without a hitch?
Two possibilities sprang to mind. Either the Smart System had recognized Su Jinglan in the passenger seat, or someone had added Ning Jiuwei’s license plate to the approved-entry list.
Ever perceptive, Ning Jiuwei tucked the question away for later.
“President Su, we’re here.” Ning Jiuwei parked right at the entrance to Building A to make it easy for her.
Su Jinglan unbuckled her seatbelt but stayed put in the car, not opening the door. “Teacher Ning, come upstairs with me.”
Ning Jiuwei didn’t budge, her eyes asking why.
Those clear, lovely eyes drew Su Jinglan in like a magnet. Unable to resist, she leaned forward slowly.
“President Su.” Ning Jiuwei’s voice cut in as a warning.
Su Jinglan eased back, hiding her near-slip with a smile. “Truth be told, Teacher Ning, I sketched out next month’s Quarterly New Products. I’d love for you to take a look.”
“Presidents don’t draw design drawings.” Ning Jiuwei started to refuse, then checked her watch and pivoted to agreement. “If President Su doesn’t mind, send them to my WeChat. I’ll review them the moment I get home.”
“Perfect.” Su Jinglan stepped out, then turned at the door to watch Ning Jiuwei drive away, her gaze lingering until the car vanished from sight.
The car gradually faded from view, and Su Jinglan smiled as she stepped into the elevator.
Leaving the community, Ning Jiuwei made a U-turn at the intersection and drove back. When she reached the community gate again, the barrier arm lifted automatically once more.
Ning Jiuwei confirmed it wasn’t because of Su Jinglan. Her license plate had been added to the whitelist.
She lifted her gaze and looked toward Building A from afar.
The 22nd floor was brightly lit. Su Jinglan had already arrived home.
Her heartbeat was impossible to control. In the privacy of the car with no one else around, it raced wildly. Ning Jiuwei clenched her fist against her chest, lowered her head, and gasped for breath.
The security guard noticed the car idling at the gate without entering, as if something had gone wrong, and hurried over.
Ning Jiuwei shot him a cold glance and turned the car around to leave before he could approach.
As the car merged onto the main road, Ning Jiuwei stared coldly ahead. She shoved aside the tangled, intertwined memories swirling in her mind and focused on heading home.
She had finally returned home.
Ning Jiuwei shrugged off her trench coat and dragged her heavy steps to the sofa, sinking into it. The room temperature gradually rose, but the chill clinging to her body only sharpened. She leaned back against the sofa, her gaze drifting past the enclosed balcony to the deep, distant night sky.
The city’s night sky offered only faint starlight. She had once ventured into the vast, lonely desert to observe the sea of stars, picking out constellations one by one amid the intricate celestial tapestry.
Tonight was precisely the Lone Star Accompanying Moon Phenomenon. Beside the dimly glowing crescent moon shone the bright, clear Changgeng Star.
Her phone vibrated continuously as several messages arrived, lighting up the screen.
Ning Jiuwei withdrew her gaze and scooped up the phone from the sofa.
The messages were from Su Jinglan, sent to her personal account. Ning Jiuwei closed her eyes for a moment before tapping into the chat.
Su Jinglan’s design drawing featured smooth lines and an exquisite design. Even from the original sketch alone, one could feel the passionate, intense love it conveyed—as if it could captivate hearts and bind them in unwavering loyalty.
“I didn’t expect you to have such design talent.”
Ning Jiuwei gently traced her fingers over the design. Su Jinglan must have someone she deeply loved to channel such fervent emotions into her work.
“President Su’s design is impeccable. Releasing the quarterly new products based on President Su’s design drawings will surely double HS’s sales for the next quarter.”
After sending the reply to Su Jinglan, Ning Jiuwei powered off her phone and carried the sketch and tablet into the study.
The study doubled as her design studio. She spread the sketch, now imported into the tablet, across the desk and began meticulously recreating the vision from her mind.
Praised by Ning Jiuwei, Su Jinglan was over the moon. She didn’t want the conversation to end so abruptly and invited her to interpret the meaning behind the work.
Determined to reply to Ning Jiuwei at the first opportunity, Su Jinglan grabbed her phone and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water, her eyes fixed on the chat window.
Her message vanished like a stone into the sea. No “typing” indicator appeared at the top. Su Jinglan set the hot water on the dining table, leaned against the edge, and pulled up the voice and video call options.
She hesitated over the choices for several seconds before selecting voice call.
The other party didn’t answer.
Ning Jiuwei’s number was already saved in her contacts. Su Jinglan came up with a suitable excuse in her mind and dialed her directly.
A flat, emotionless female voice informed her that the user had powered off.
Ning Jiuwei had turned off her phone?
Just minutes earlier, she had been exchanging messages with her. Why shut it off so suddenly?
Su Jinglan reviewed her own messages. Not a single word was out of place, and there was no hint of any improper intent.
An hour later, Ning Jiuwei’s reply finally trickled in.
“Sorry, President Su. I wanted to focus on drawing, so I turned off my phone.”
Across the screen, Su Jinglan pictured Ning Jiuwei offering her this explanation, and the corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily.
She only explained herself to people she cared about.
It was still early, so Su Jinglan typed a reply to Ning Jiuwei to keep the chat going. Before she could send it, another message popped up from her.
“I’m going to take a shower. President Su, you should rest early too.”
Su Jinglan deleted her draft and sent back a simple goodnight.
Now that she had received a goodnight, Ning Jiuwei ought to reciprocate. Su Jinglan waited for her reply.
No message came from Ning Jiuwei. Instead, one arrived from Shen Lanyan—just as the doorbell rang.
“President Su, you were looking for me?” Shen Lanyan stood there in oversized sunglasses despite the late hour. Her voluptuous curves leaned against the doorframe, long hair swept over one shoulder. Her curved lips gleamed with deep crimson lipstick, radiating a commanding presence.
Su Jinglan turned and headed toward the living room. “Come in and talk.”
Ning Jiuwei hadn’t gone for that shower. She sat alone in the study, scrutinizing the completed ring design drawing. Inch by inch, she dissected and analyzed it, hunting for any imperfections.
The deadline for the initial draft submission was a week away. In the past, Ning Jiuwei had always been satisfied with her designs, and so had her clients upon delivery.
Shen Lanyan was the first client she had met who offered no specific requirements. Before her, every client had harbored some ideas, great or small.
Unable to find anything she disliked, Ning Jiuwei felt wide awake. She glanced at the time on her tablet, then opened her work WeChat account.
Shen Lanyan’s chat window had been pushed down by other messages. Ning Jiuwei tapped into it, hesitated several times, and finally typed out her message on the virtual keyboard.
Ning Jiuwei: Hello, Miss Shen. The design drawings are ready.
Shen Lanyan, who had just received the notification, was lounging on Su Jinglan’s sofa, idly toying with her sunglasses. Faced with President Su’s chilling, intimidating aura, she answered obediently and sweetly.
“I got a message.” She had set a special reminder for Ning Jiuwei, so Shen Lanyan pulled out her phone mid-sentence. “It’s from my Designer Sister.”
“Hm?” Su Jinglan’s expression remained icy.
Shen Lanyan flashed a placating smile and quickly amended her words. “It’s your precious designer. Yours.”
~~~
