Chapter 51

Sheng Huaixi lowered her eyes, her hands folded quietly over her abdomen. Jiang Chao’s voice filled her ears, reciting one line after another all the things Sheng Huaixi needed to watch out for afterward.

After Jiang Chao finished reading the text she had typed out in advance on her phone in one breath, her throat was so dry she started coughing. She picked up the glass of water beside her and drained it in one gulp.

The lukewarm water soothed her throat, and Jiang Chao finally felt as if she’d come back to life. She let out a long breath.

“Did I make myself clear?” Jiang Chao looked at Sheng Huaixi expectantly, her gaze bright. She hoped the long block of text she’d just said had left at least some impression on Sheng Huaixi.

At the very least, the next time she had a breakdown, she should remember to call her.

After hearing those absurd thoughts from Sheng Huaixi this time, Jiang Chao no longer dared ask for more. She only hoped that the next time Sheng Huaixi ran into the same thing, she wouldn’t still weigh jealousy against reason.

If she didn’t know Sheng Huaixi, if she hadn’t gone through those things with her at the beginning, then after just this one incident, Jiang Chao wouldn’t care anymore.

But she had already come to regard Sheng Huaixi as a friend.

To watch her throw herself headfirst into a fire pit and do nothing; Jiang Chao couldn’t do that.

Even though the person being burned looked languid right now, as if she were treating everything Jiang Chao had just said as if it were blowing past her ears.

Jiang Chao gritted her teeth in frustration, the tip of her tongue brushing her palate over and over. A little annoyed, she leaned down and pinched Sheng Huaixi’s cheek hard, giving her a reminder.

“Did you even remember any of that, Sheng Huaixi?”

As soon as Jiang Chao reached out, Sheng Huaixi went boneless and fell against her again, letting Jiang Chao pinch the soft flesh of her cheek as if she couldn’t feel pain at all.

No matter how Jiang Chao spoke, there wasn’t a single affirmative answer from her. She only half-lidded her eyes and lazily clung to Jiang Chao, muffling a few random hums in response.

Her wrists circled Jiang Chao’s waist, her fingers teasing the soft flesh there; her dark eyes curved with delight as she rubbed her chin against Jiang Chao, breathing hotly against the reddening tip of her ear.

She was completely immersed in Jiang Chao’s body and paid no attention at all to what Jiang Chao was saying.

Jiang Chao had no way to deal with her. The cheek she was pinching had also turned visibly red. In the end, Jiang Chao softened and could only let go.

Lowering her eyes, she glanced at the person who had relaxed into her neck again and was rubbing against her in a disorderly way. Her long lashes trembled helplessly; her wrist lifted and hovered in midair, and for a moment she didn’t know where to put it.

If she pressed against herself, it somehow felt vaguely guilty. If she pressed against Sheng Huaixi, there was nowhere that seemed right.

It wasn’t until her wrist grew sore and the muscles in her arm began to protest that Jiang Chao slowly settled her hand on Sheng Huaixi’s spine, resting it there lightly.

The next second, the weight in her arms suddenly became heavier.

Jiang Chao let out a muffled breath. Just as she lowered her head and the question on her lips was still unsaid, Sheng Huaixi looked up innocently, amusement slowly spilling through her eyes as she smiled.

“You were the one pushing down on me.”

“..."

Jiang Chao was at a loss for words. She couldn’t believe that with the feather-light amount of strength she’d used, she’d somehow managed to press Sheng Huaixi down; she’d even pressed her to the point where she almost couldn’t breathe.

But since Sheng Huaixi said so, she’d believe it for now.

“Let go of me. I’m going to sleep.” Jiang Chao braced herself, her knee extending outward as she tried to wriggle free from Sheng Huaixi’s layers of restraint.

“Sleep with me.”

The pair of arms wrapped around her lower back tightened without hesitation, their force almost squeezing Jiang Chao so hard that her breathing went chaotic.

Sheng Huaixi’s arms locked around her waist and pressed her viciously back into her embrace, as if she wanted to melt her body completely into her own. The scorching heat of her skin made Jiang Chao feel as though she was about to dissolve.

“...You’re a patient. If you infect me, how am I supposed to go to work?”

Jiang Chao tried to reason with Sheng Huaixi, doing her best to make her give up on the idea of having her sleep beside her.

Sheng Huaixi’s expression didn’t change. She answered without hesitation, “I’ll give the entire Creative Department the day off and tell them to work from home to get inspiration.”

For a moment, Jiang Chao didn’t know whether she should be delighted that she’d joined a department with such a casual leader, or speechless that Sheng Huaixi would actually do something like this just to make her stay the night.

“Director Sheng’s authority really is absolute.” Jiang Chao’s mouth twitched. In the end, all she could do was look at Sheng Huaixi and say that.

That sudden title stirred Sheng Huaixi’s memories.

The wrists that had loosened a little tightened again. In the instant Jiang Chao’s pupils contracted, Sheng Huaixi lifted the person in her arms and turned her over, the two of them lying face-to-face.

“?” Suddenly turned in place, Jiang Chao blinked at the smiling eyes on Sheng Huaixi’s face. “What are you doing?”

Only after blurting that out did Jiang Chao come back to herself. Her ear tips instantly went red, the flush burning over the back of her neck; she immediately understood she’d just asked something stupid.

What else could Sheng Huaixi be doing by turning her around like this? She was simply not allowing her to leave the bed.

Hearing that, a trace of amusement flashed in Sheng Huaixi’s eyes. The corners of her lips lifted. She leaned down and brushed against Jiang Chao’s cheek, soft flesh touching soft flesh. Her words came softly by Jiang Chao’s ear, hot breath fanning it.

“Jiang Assistant, I’m exercising my rightful authority.”

Rightful authority?

That flawless, exquisite face rested quietly before her. The faint smile on it made Sheng Huaixi look a little more vivid, and the words leaving those pale lips were especially lively.

Jiang Chao had never thought that the identity of “assistant” could be this broad; in Sheng Huaixi’s mouth, it even extended to things like sleeping together.

But then Jiang Chao thought back to how she had once used the title of assistant to make demands of Sheng Huaixi the first time she got injured, and she fell silent.

A rain of boomerangs came hurtling back at her from every direction, stabbing Jiang Chao until she looked like a hedgehog, densely packed all over.

“Good night.” Jiang Chao yielded to her direct superior, her client, and her frail patient.

She closed her eyes, one palm resting on the bedsheet, unwilling to face Sheng Huaixi’s gaze.

She had only planned to half-sleep in order to avoid Sheng Huaixi’s eyes, and had prepared herself for Sheng Huaixi to do something else, but she hadn’t expected Sheng Huaixi to simply remain silent.

She said nothing, did nothing, asked nothing.

In the quiet, still atmosphere, Jiang Chao’s taut nerves gradually loosened. Even her constantly trembling long lashes finally came to rest, like an agitated butterfly settling in place.

With her lashes lowered, they looked like a pair of exquisitely shaped butterfly wings; with a light flutter they would cast beauty everywhere, making the already lovely butterfly seem even more vivid.

And after Jiang Chao closed her eyes and buried that liveliness away, what remained was her beauty without any adornment.

Even that most superficial appearance was enough to attract countless wild moths to the flame.

Men and women alike; there were too many times she and Sheng Huaixi had gone out and run into scenes like this. In fact, Sheng Huaixi had even helped Jiang Chao turn down several of them.

And that was only what happened in front of her.

What about in private? When Sheng Huaixi wasn’t by Jiang Chao’s side, how many times had she missed scenes like this?

Every time Sheng Huaixi thought of it, she couldn’t help wanting to pull Jiang Chao fiercely into her arms, covering her face with her palm and wishing she could smother her forever in her own embrace.

No. She wouldn’t allow it. She couldn’t allow it.

What was good about Jiang Chao had to be seen by Jiang Chao? What was beautiful about Jiang Chao had to be seen by Jiang Chao? Why should other people see it? Why should other people like it?

Why couldn’t Jiang Chao belong to her alone?

Wouldn’t it be better if she were only hers?

“Why...”

The dim light posed no obstacle to Sheng Huaixi. Her outstretched fingertip landed with perfect accuracy on Jiang Chao’s lips.

The fingertip sank in lightly; soft and warm, the naturally upturned corners of those lips silently invited a kiss.

Jiang Chao was born with smile lips. Unless she was in an extreme rage, when she faced people her mouth always curved upward, giving off a gentle impression.

Sheng Huaixi knew that, but it didn’t change the fact that every time she saw Jiang Chao show that captivating, tender smile to anyone other than her, she would be swallowed by thick jealousy.

Jealous of the person getting Jiang Chao’s smile, jealous of the person Jiang Chao would look at, jealous of the person Jiang Chao was talking to...

Jealous of everyone except herself.

A thick possessiveness spread across the pale paper like black ink, gradually staining the original white; dense desire covered the nerves of reason.

For only an instant, Sheng Huaixi relaxed.

Her fingertip pinched lightly. Coming back to herself, she suddenly loosened her grip again, and thinking of the warm sensation from the fingertip just now, she lingered on the pale red lips, her gaze darkening.

Just a moment ago, Sheng Huaixi had even been jealous of the air she could use to kiss Jiang Chao so recklessly right now.

Air, fingertips, breath... clearly all of these things could kiss Jiang Chao; only Sheng Huaixi could not.

Yet somehow, only Sheng Huaixi could not.

Jealousy.

That overwhelming jealousy was almost about to turn into a monstrous creature and break through every barrier, swallowing Jiang Chao whole with Sheng Huaixi’s silent indulgence.

Making Jiang Chao belong only to her.

Forever looking only at her, with her and only her in the direction of her gaze. They would never separate again, and Sheng Huaixi would never allow Jiang Chao to leave her hands.

Sheng Huaixi longed for this, and the rapid pounding of her heart reflected her thoughts.

The restless desire in her surged even more violently as she looked at Jiang Chao’s lips trembling with her breathing; the rolling tide urged her to act.

Kiss her.

Kiss her.

Kiss her now while Jiang Chao is asleep.

It’s only a kiss.

Only a kiss while Jiang Chao is asleep; whether it was her cheek, her lips, or the thin skin of her eyelids, Sheng Huaixi would not be stingy with letting her kisses fall over each one in turn.

Her greed, in Jiang Chao’s sleeping state, unrestrainedly turned into a great net, completely wrapping Jiang Chao up.

Her fingertips lightly traced the shape of those lips. Sheng Huaixi had never felt her heart beat this fast before. She licked across her own lips, and the damp sensation was something one could not help missing.

The desire in Sheng Huaixi’s heart earnestly longed for another patch of wet warmth, to share each other’s heat and breath.

Her throat moved slowly as Sheng Huaixi drew closer.

Her heart was pounding violently, so agitated that even her pupils trembled along with it.