Chapter 31

Someone’s fingers pinched her chin.

A pair of icy eyes were scrutinizing her.

The air turned viscous and narrow, almost suffocating.

Yet, Cheng Yan did not feel afraid. Her nerves tingled with a faint, pulsating thrill—it was the horn of excitement.

“Everything you’ve done, has it all been for her?”

Coaxing her, holding her, getting close to her.

All of it was for another woman.

Her chin ached from the pinch, forcing her to meet Jun Jianqing’s gaze directly.

Facing Jun Jianqing’s question and those eyes that seemed frozen solid, Cheng Yan showed no fear. Yet her eyelashes still fluttered slightly. She smiled silently, sweet and demure, but her words still carried thorns. “Why would you think that?”

Jun Jianqing’s index finger scraped against Cheng Yan’s delicate skin, her eyes dark and heavy. She said coldly, “It’s obvious. You can’t go a single sentence without mentioning her.”

Cheng Yan’s breath fanned over Jun Jianqing’s hand, making it feel as though she, too, could resonate with her through that long, drawn-out breath.

Cheng Yan said, “But I’m clearly concerned about you.”

“If I’m telling you not to be angry at her anymore, isn’t that concern for you?”

Cheng Yan refused to admit it.

She was certain that at this moment, Jun Jianqing wouldn’t direct her anger at Chen Shuhua again.

The moment she had pulled Jun Jianqing away from the corridor without any resistance, the matter had become an issue strictly between the two of them.

At this reply, Jun Jianqing paused. Her eyes, dark as a deep sea, locked onto Cheng Yan, missing not even the slightest shift in her expression.

“Are you angry?” Jun Jianqing suddenly asked.

The long, steady rhythm of breathing suddenly hitched.

So that was it.

But why?

Staring at Cheng Yan, who had pursed her lips, Jun Jianqing said, displeased, “What are you being stubborn about? Why are you angry? It seems this isn’t your place to be angry, is it?”

She pinched Cheng Yan’s chin, her grip unconsciously tightening with her turbulent emotions. “From the moment you agreed to the agreement back then, shouldn’t you have anticipated a day like today? Or is it that having Chen Shuhua find out about our relationship bothers you that much?”

“Slap—!”

Cheng Yan, pushed to her limit, smacked the hand restraining her away.

“What am I bothered by?” Cheng Yan glared at Jun Jianqing, unable to hold back a cold laugh. “As you said, the moment I accepted that agreement, I should have anticipated a day like today. President Jun, I never regret what I do. So, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you’ve completely misunderstood.”

‘Never regret what I do.’

By not denying her actions, Cheng Yan was effectively not denying the purpose behind them.

And what was that purpose?

To protect Chen Shuhua.

Jun Jianqing felt a sudden, stabbing pain in her heart.

“And why am I angry?” Cheng Yan continued. “It seems the lofty President Jun has forgotten. Nowhere in the agreement we signed did it say I have to be treated like a toy for you to manipulate at your whim!”

Toy.

Manipulate.

Jun Jianqing frowned, her voice icy. “Who told you to talk about yourself like that?”

Cheng Yan taunted, “Do you need me to? Haven’t your actions already done so?”

Jun Jianqing was puzzled. Her stern expression softened slightly from its previous frost, as if she was beginning to sense a disconnect between their understandings.

Cheng Yan wasn’t entirely angry because of Chen Shuhua?

The surging flames of anger were doused.

Jun Jianqing furrowed her brow. “What did I do?”

Seeing that even now, Jun Jianqing didn’t understand her own actions, the mockery on Cheng Yan’s lips deepened. She said coldly, “You suddenly kissed me in the corridor without a word, and even covered my eyes. Wasn’t it because you saw Chen Shuhua coming?”

Jun Jianqing was stunned for a moment but didn’t deny it.

“So you see,” Cheng Yan said. “You were treating me like a prop for showing off, a tool to provoke Chen Shuhua. During the entire time, did you ever once ask me? Even if I should have expected she would find out eventually, did it have to be announced in this way?”

“President Jun, when you did that, did you ever consider my feelings? You didn’t. Even though I’ve already respected our agreement and firmly refused to engage with Chen Shuhua, you still only cared about yourself. So, at that moment, I was nothing more than a plaything to be manipulated by you.”

Cheng Yan’s words were forceful, each one landing squarely. She mercilessly criticized Jun Jianqing.

“…”

A heavy silence fell.

The emotion burning in Cheng Yan’s amber eyes was simply too piercing.

Jun Jianqing found she had no grounds to argue.

At that moment in the corridor, a recklessness and jealousy she hadn’t felt in over twenty years had seized control, driving the usually composed and self-possessed Jun Jianqing to such a rash, unrestrained act.

Now, learning that Cheng Yan wasn’t entirely angry just because of Chen Shuhua, she even felt a sense of resignation: Let it be, then.

She had indeed overstepped.

So, apologizing to her—that wasn’t unreasonable.

“You’re not a plaything.” Jun Jianqing stroked her face, her thumb gently wiping at the red marks on her chin, rubbing them over and over. Her voice held a trace of tenderness. “I was impulsive at the time. How can you define a person by an impulsive act? Yanyan, that’s too harsh.”

Cheng Yan turned her face away, rejecting her touch.

She hadn’t calmed down yet.

“An impulsive act might just be the truest reflection of President Jun’s heart.”

Refused, Jun Jianqing wasn’t annoyed.

On the contrary, she even felt a spark of pleasure, a smile touching her lips.

This was a “war” between the two of them.

And that Cheng Yan could get angry with her over this today—wasn’t that, in itself, proof that she was no longer just the cold, contractual “Sponsor”?

“I deny that statement, Yanyan.” Jun Jianqing’s voice became gentle, without a trace of its earlier menacing pressure. “Be understanding. Seeing you get entangled with her again, it’s only natural I’d be a little… uncomposed. That’s forgivable, isn’t it?”

Cheng Yan retorted, “But you were the one who asked me to accompany you to this banquet.”

You brought this on yourself. Who’s to blame?

I certainly haven’t broken any part of our agreement.

Jun Jianqing’s eyes darkened slightly, but her voice remained warm, as if still coaxing. “And because of that, when you pulled me away in the corridor to protect her, I didn’t do anything more.”

She had witnessed Cheng Yan’s cold words to Chen Shuhua, the way she had yanked her away without another word. Jun Jianqing wasn’t ignorant of the meaning behind those actions.

She had simply endured it, for Cheng Yan’s sake.

Cheng Yan met her gaze unwaveringly. “And when we came back and you refused to cooperate, I coaxed you then, too.”

Coaxed her?

Jun Jianqing placed her hands on Cheng Yan’s smooth shoulders and asked, her voice tinged with a wry smile, “Was that willing of you?”

She gently turned the body that had been turned away from her, revealing the girl’s reddened eyes.

Cheng Yan accused, “You know it was forced by you!”

“First, you treat me like a plaything, a tool, and then when we come back, you force me to yield to you!”

“President Jun, you are a tyrant!”

Panic instantly seized Jun Jianqing’s heart. Her fingertips wiped at the tears rolling down Cheng Yan’s face as she gently coaxed, “How could it be forcing you? I clearly wanted you to…”

Her words suddenly stopped short.

Cheng Yan looked at her through tear-dampened lashes, crying pitifully, yet her face held an expression that clearly said, “Let’s see what excuse you come up with now.”

She asked, “Wanted me to do what?”

A trace of awkwardness flickered across Jun Jianqing’s features.

But Cheng Yan’s tear-washed eyes held her tightly, forcing her to continue.

Jun Jianqing’s hands, resting on Cheng Yan’s shoulders, moved past her back. Her arms encircled Cheng Yan’s slender neck, pulling her forward. Then her body pressed closer.

Cheng Yan thought she was going to kiss her again and shifted her face slightly, trying to avoid it.

But the cool lips landed on her cheek, kissing away the tear stains with a gentle, intimate tenderness.

A soft sigh escaped in the spaces between.

“I wanted you… to coax me.”

Cheng Yan’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Jun Jianqing to do such a thing.

Light as a feather, Jun Jianqing kissed away every last tear. Then, pulling back just a fraction, she watched Cheng Yan unblinkingly, carefully observing her expression.

“…”

Cheng Yan lowered her head, avoiding that burning, intense gaze. Uncomfortably, she said, “What are you doing?”

Jun Jianqing smiled softly. “Coaxing you.”

Cheng Yan clenched her fingers. “I didn’t say for you to coax me.”

“Mm. Yanyan doesn’t need it. It’s what I want to do,” Jun Jianqing went along with her words.

“…”

This is infuriating. No matter how you put it, this sounds like coaxing a child.

Who knew Jun Jianqing would have such tricks up her sleeve?

It was as if the lofty President Jun had suddenly had a breakthrough. Her fair hand kneaded Cheng Yan’s earlobe as she coaxed in a low, enticing voice, “So don’t be angry anymore, alright? I’ll be more careful next time. I won’t do it again.”

Cheng Yan stared at her. Her eyes were still red, though the tears had stopped. Her cheeks were flushed too as she accused, “How can you be like this!”

“Hmm? How am I being?” Jun Jianqing seemed to have suddenly discovered a new pleasure, continuing to rub her earlobe, unwilling to let go.

Looking down, she saw Cheng Yan’s throat moving as she swallowed.

Jun Jianqing’s waist dipped slightly. She lowered her head and licked and kissed her neck, focusing especially on the skin around her throat.

“!”

Cheng Yan felt a wave of tingling numbness, a sensitive itch that spread throughout her body.

The hand she had loosely clenched was gently, deftly pried open. Then, her hand was guided—silky, smooth satin fabric brushed past it, leaving no trace.

Her pupils dilated. Cheng Yan’s mind was instantly flooded with silent expletives.

Jun Jianqing leaned against her neck, her cheeks flushed like the glorious red clouds of a twilight sky. Softly, tenderly, she coaxed, “Still angry at me? Hmm? Yanyan.”

“Tonight, you can do anything you want. So don’t be angry anymore, okay?”

“…”

President Jun’s way of apologizing… was truly unique.

But, maybe I’m actually kind of into it?