Chapter 23

Chapter 23 Rose: Sleep Together.

The gentle pressure at her waist was impossible to ignore, like a current had run through her.

Fu Chaoying turned and fell into her arms face-to-face.

The moment their softness met, both of them shivered; nameless ripples rose in their hearts. Then Ye Jiayuan, as if struck by an electric shock, slightly stiffened the arm around her.

Fu Chaoying’s eyes flickered. She tilted her head to look at her, only to find a faint blush rising to the tip of Ye Jiayuan’s ear, just visible in the light.

Fu Chaoying’s throat moved, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened.

At this moment, Ye Jiayuan looked nothing like her usual cool, self-possessed self.

Fu Chaoying looked up at her quietly, motionless, wanting to take in every trace of her expression at this moment.

But in less than two seconds, Ye Jiayuan had already composed herself. Her gaze returned to calm as she lowered her head and asked as if nothing had happened, “What are your plans this afternoon?”

Ye Jiayuan’s voice carried no hint of anything unusual, as steady as ever, as though the one who had been slightly flustered just now was not her at all.

Fu Chaoying smiled and shook her head, gently letting her go.

The magnolia fragrance that had filled her nose vanished all at once; only a trace of ambiguous warmth remained in the room.

Her tone lifted softly. “Do you have work to deal with this afternoon?”

Ye Jiayuan nodded lightly and said openly, “I was supposed to have a small meeting, but I can cancel it.”

Fu Chaoying smiled and suggested, “Then let’s go to the studio? I’ll paint, and you can work.”

Ye Jiayuan had no objection. She turned and went downstairs to get her computer.

When they arrived at the studio, Ye Jiayuan looked around before finally sitting on the sofa by the window.

The moment she sat down, her whole body sank into it. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and she changed to the rattan chair beside it.

Fu Chaoying caught every small reaction in her eyes; a glint of interest flashed across her gaze as she curled into the sofa and deliberately asked, “You don’t like soft sofas?”

Ye Jiayuan nodded slightly. “It’s bad for the waist.”

Fu Chaoying subtly shifted her gaze to that waist. The line of it was smooth, wrapped in dark dress pants; slender, yet full of strength.

A cough sounded beside her ear.

Fu Chaoying looked up in surprise, only to crash straight into Ye Jiayuan’s deep eyes. Her heart clenched at once, and then her throat moved.

Seeing her whole body sink into the sofa, half-reclined there, her fair neck seeming to glow under the light, Fu Chaoying’s pink lips parted before she could stop herself. “Sister Jiayuan, your waist isn’t good?”

Ye Jiayuan’s gaze swept over her slim waist. Her top had ridden up a little, revealing a patch of soft white skin that seemed to gleam temptingly.

Ye Jiayuan’s eyes deepened; her voice lowered by two degrees as she asked back, “And yours?”

Fu Chaoying noticed her gaze, and only then did she realize this conversation... seemed a little off.

Just as she lowered her head to pull down the hem of her clothes, she heard a knock at the door.

“Xiaoying, afternoon tea is ready.”

A familiar tension, the kind that came with almost being caught in the middle of an affair, surged up at once.

Fu Chaoying’s heart skipped a beat. Almost instinctively, she sprang to her feet and was about to leave when Ye Jiayuan caught her wrist.

The warmth at her wrist made Fu Chaoying turn back to look at her, only to hear her say softly, “Don’t be nervous.”

Then Ye Jiayuan let go.

The instant she did, another voice came from outside the door. “Xiaoying, Miss Jiayuan, are you in there?”

Aunt Wu’s voice carried a hint of confusion, which only made Fu Chaoying more flustered.

Fu Chaoying hurried out in three steps, fleeing the ambiguous atmosphere, and called out, “Yes, come in.”

Ye Jiayuan watched her slightly panicked back and quietly curved her brows.

By the time Aunt Wu pushed the door open, Fu Chaoying was already standing before the easel, pretending to paint on the canvas as she said naturally, “Sister Jiayuan was on the phone just now.”

Ye Jiayuan cooperated with a light “Mm.”

Aunt Wu didn’t ask more. She set down the snacks and tea, then smiled at Ye Jiayuan. “Miss Jiayuan, I changed the flower tea this time. See if you like it.”

Ye Jiayuan nodded slightly, thanked her, and picked up a cup to take a small sip.

Fu Chaoying also naturally walked over beside them, watching eagerly as Ye Jiayuan drank.

Aunt Wu chuckled, a trace of pride in her voice. “This flower tea was blended by our Xiaoying herself.”

Ye Jiayuan took another sip and looked deeply at Fu Chaoying. “It tastes good.”

“You two carry on.” Aunt Wu left smiling and even kindly pulled the door closed behind her.

The studio fell quiet once more. Fu Chaoying returned to the easel, and just as she turned to say something to Ye Jiayuan, she saw that Ye Jiayuan had already opened her laptop and started working.

What kind of normal person, after officially becoming a couple on the first day, just goes off to do their own thing?

Still, when it came to someone like Ye Jiayuan, a workaholic, it somehow seemed very normal.

Fu Chaoying could only shake her head helplessly.

She painted with complete focus, inspiration pouring out like a spring, only to be interrupted abruptly by a ring.

It was Ye Jiayuan’s phone; it really had come.

“I’ll take this call.” Ye Jiayuan stood and walked toward the door.

Fu Chaoying watched her back disappear from view, pulled her thoughts back, and fixed her attention on the canvas.

No one knew how long had passed before Ye Jiayuan returned and sat back down in the rattan chair.

“I have a meeting at 3:30 in a bit. It’ll probably be forty-five minutes.”

Fu Chaoying nodded. “Okay, go ahead.”

No one knew how long passed before Fu Chaoying’s thoughts were drawn back by the gradually darkening sky. She looked up and only then realized that the sunset outside the window was already blazing across the sky, brilliant as fire.

She turned her head, only to find the rattan chair empty; Ye Jiayuan was gone, and even the computer had disappeared with her.

Fu Chaoying was momentarily dazed when she heard footsteps at the door.

At the sound, she turned back and saw Ye Jiayuan walking in with steady steps, the light behind her making her features somewhat blurred in shadow.

“Looking for me?” Ye Jiayuan’s tone seemed tinged with a smile.

Fu Chaoying blinked. “I wanted to talk to you, and when I turned around you were gone.”

Ye Jiayuan walked quickly toward her and stopped when there was only one step between them, looking into her eyes. “Talk about what?”

Her gaze was gentle and serious, as if the whole world held only Fu Chaoying. Fu Chaoying’s eyes curved as she pointed toward the brilliant sunset outside the window and said softly, “The painting I gave you came from inspiration like this.”

Ye Jiayuan followed her gaze.

She looked for a long while before giving only a low, “It’s beautiful.”

Her tone was flat, devoid of emotion.

Fu Chaoying smiled and shook her head.

For someone as rational as Ye Jiayuan, it was probably hard to understand what connection there could possibly be between the sea, flowers, and sunrise in that oil painting, and the sunset and evening glow before her eyes.

People who were too rational found it hard to understand such wildly free leaps of inspiration.

Fu Chaoying no longer spoke to her, concentrating on her painting instead; but she noticed Ye Jiayuan didn’t move away.

Aware from the corner of her eye that Ye Jiayuan was watching her paint, Fu Chaoying felt an inexplicable nervousness, as though even the hand holding the brush was a little unsteady.

Before long, Ye Jiayuan rose and left.

By the time Aunt Wu came to call them for dinner, Fu Chaoying still hadn’t finished her painting.

Naturally, Aunt Wu had prepared Ye Jiayuan’s meal as well.

Fu Chaoying looked at her and, grasping at small talk, asked, “Where are Assistant Liu and the driver?”

Ye Jiayuan raised her eyes and said softly, “They went to eat.”

The assistant and Liu Xin hadn’t left; it seemed Ye Jiayuan was probably going back to Hong Kong City today.

Long-distance dating was an objective reality.

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together.

Dinner passed in silence.

Fu Chaoying didn’t ask when she was leaving; somehow, asking now felt like she was hurrying a guest out the door.

After the meal, the words rose to her lips but refused to come out.

Ye Jiayuan seemed to see through what she was thinking; a trace of amusement flashed through her eyes as she took the initiative. “Go back and keep painting?”

Fu Chaoying nodded lightly. “I’m almost done.”

The two returned to the studio together.

Ye Jiayuan sat down again in the rattan chair.

Before long, the quiet in the studio was broken once more by a ringing phone.

This time Ye Jiayuan didn’t go out; she answered directly. “Okay, five minutes.”

Five minutes was enough for her to pack up her computer, say goodbye to Fu Chaoying, and then go downstairs and leave.

Hearing her brief answer, Fu Chaoying felt a faint, sudden pang of reluctance.

Ye Jiayuan ended the call quickly, then walked to stand in front of her and said in a low voice, “Xiaoying.”

Fu Chaoying turned to look at her, the corners of her lips lifting into a smile. “Do you want me to take you to the airport?”

Ye Jiayuan shook her head and looked into her eyes. “I have a meeting that came up suddenly. Can I borrow the study?”

She meant... she was going to hold the meeting here?

“Of course.” Fu Chaoying’s eyes brightened, and she stood up at once to take her there.

The two walked side by side down the long corridor. Fu Chaoying asked softly, “Then when are you going back to Hong Kong City, Sister Jiayuan?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“Oh.” For some reason, Fu Chaoying suddenly felt very good.

At nine that night, Fu Chaoying’s new painting was finally finished.

She put down her brush and stretched, then turned around, wanting to share it with Ye Jiayuan; but she didn’t see her.

A strange sense of disappointment welled up in her heart. She then went out, planning to look for her in the study.

When she reached the study door, she knocked lightly and heard a cool voice from inside: “Come in.”

Fu Chaoying pushed the door open, only to hear her speaking in a low voice about something—the meeting still wasn’t over.

Afraid of disturbing her, Fu Chaoying was just about to apologize and leave when she suddenly heard Ye Jiayuan say, “Let’s stop here for today. Discuss it a bit more.”

The meeting ended abruptly.

Fu Chaoying turned back and saw her leaning against the chair back, sitting with a somewhat lazy air, crooking a finger at her.

Only a warm yellow desk lamp was lit in the room. Soft light brushed across her face; there was a faint smile at the corners of Ye Jiayuan’s lips, and her eyes were fixed on Fu Chaoying without blinking, as if she meant to draw her in whole.

At this moment, Ye Jiayuan looked like a goddess seducing mortals, or perhaps a fox spirit laced with enchantment.

It stood in stark contrast to her cool, composed, meticulous self while working.

Fu Chaoying’s heart trembled; almost as if possessed, she lifted her feet and walked toward her.

Then she saw Ye Jiayuan stretch out her arm. Fu Chaoying, unconsciously letting a touch of coaxing into her voice, asked with a light upward lilt, “Sister Jiayuan?”

Ye Jiayuan’s palm hovered in the air, facing upward; her fingers were long and graceful, her joints distinct, as if carrying some kind of magic.

Fu Chaoying’s throat moved, and then she slowly placed her hand in hers.

Ye Jiayuan’s palm gently closed around hers, warm and soft. Then her arm exerted a slight force, pulling her gently forward.

Fu Chaoying, caught off guard, stepped forward with the pull, only to realize in a daze that Ye Jiayuan had wrapped an arm around her waist.

The gentle strength at her waist could not be ignored. The faint magnolia scent on Ye Jiayuan’s body wound around her in fine layers; her warm, damp breath seemed as if it wanted to seep through the thin shirt into her skin and merge with her heartbeat.

The skin in the circle of their contact prickled faintly, and Fu Chaoying’s breathing gradually became unsteady.

The embrace was light, yet carried a subtle dominance.

Less than two seconds later, she was slowly released again.

If Fu Chaoying hadn’t been standing right in front of her, she would have truly wondered if everything just now had only been a dream.

At some point, Ye Jiayuan had already returned to looking perfectly normal, as if the one who had just held her waist had not been her. In a low voice, she asked, “Is there an empty room at home?”

Fu Chaoying looked at her and blinked. “Doesn’t your mother know you’re back? You don’t need to go home?”

Ye Jiayuan hummed softly. “I didn’t tell them.”

No one knew that Ye Jiayuan had specifically come back to Nanyan to find her.

Fu Chaoying’s eyes curved as she nodded. “There are plenty of rooms. It’s just a matter of which one you want.”

Ye Jiayuan said nothing, only looked at her quietly.

Fu Chaoying’s heart suddenly fluttered; she smiled again. “Then how about the room next to mine, Sister Jiayuan? It’s more convenient.”

“Convenient...” Ye Jiayuan repeated the word. “Convenient for what?”

Her tone rose slightly at the end, and a smile seemed to tug at her lips as well.

Fu Chaoying slowly leaned closer to her face, speaking with a hint of deeper meaning. “Convenient for... our secret relationship.”

Ye Jiayuan stared at the lovely face in front of her, her gaze sliding from Fu Chaoying’s curved brows and smiling eyes all the way down to the soft pink bow of her lips.

By the time their hot breaths were nearly mingling and those pink lips were right before her eyes, Ye Jiayuan’s throat moved; but then a phone ringtone abruptly rang out.

Like a clap of thunder, it yanked them both out of the ambiguous atmosphere at once.

Fu Chaoying stood up instantly and quickly put distance between them, breathing as if nothing had happened and forcing her heartbeat to settle.

Then she went out to ask Aunt Wu to clean the room. When she returned, Ye Jiayuan had already finished the call.

Fu Chaoying and Ye Jiayuan behaved with impeccable decorum, as if everything just now had only been an illusion. At this moment, they were merely a normal pair of polite, distant family friends.

When Aunt Wu heard that Ye Jiayuan was staying the night, joy almost overflowed from her face; she repeatedly invited her to come by more often in the future.

Fu Chaoying and Ye Jiayuan met each other’s eyes without a trace, then looked away as if nothing had happened. “Sister Jiayuan is very busy with work; she won’t have much time to come play at home.”

Ye Jiayuan glanced at her and said flatly, “I have time on weekends.”

“Well then, that’s great. Our Xiaoying always stays home on weekends too.”

Fu Chaoying leaned in close to her ear and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, “You have time on weekends?”

Ye Jiayuan nodded slightly and also lowered her voice, whispering near her ear, “Every weekend.”

Ye Jiayuan’s warm breath brushed against her ear, carrying a faint itch.

Fu Chaoying’s thoughts stirred; the corners of her lips lifted as she turned away, saying she was going back to the bedroom to get something.

When she came back, only Ye Jiayuan remained in the room.

Ye Jiayuan saw the little bear she brought over and heard her chuckle. “Then let it keep you company while you sleep~”

Ye Jiayuan shook her head. “No need.”

As expected, Fu Chaoying turned back to her and said coquettishly, “Fine, then I won’t separate them.”

Ye Jiayuan hummed softly, her gaze settling on her face.

The room immediately fell into silence, leaving only the sound of their breathing. Fu Chaoying suddenly stepped forward two paces toward her.

Ye Jiayuan watched her slowly approach, her attention fully focused.

Fu Chaoying stopped in front of her, reached out, and lightly tugged at her sleeve twice—

“Then what about us?”

Fu Chaoying stared straight into her eyes, rose onto her toes, and gently hooked her arms around her shoulders. Her voice was soft, carrying a kind of irresistible temptation. “Do we want to... sleep together too?”

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It’s too hard, babies TT I have to study for exams these next few days; I’ll add an extra chapter after I’m done with my tests!!!!!!