Chapter 54: Rose
“Remote control” flashed through Fu Chaoying’s mind. She remembered seeing that feature in the instructions when she bought this little toy.
Back then, she hadn’t taken it seriously at all. She’d never expected to hear those words come from the perpetually cool and composed Ye Jiayuan.
Fu Chaoying blinked. “Is it through an app?”
Ye Jiayuan put on a look of surprise, then gave a helpless smile and asked gently, “Sweetheart... you didn’t read the instructions?”
Fu Chaoying immediately felt shy and could only say softly, “I was planning to try it with you offline.”
Her voice was so low it was almost inaudible.
Ye Jiayuan looked at her deeply, then shook her head with a faint smile. “It’s okay. Check the product details page.”
Fu Chaoying was so nervous she could barely speak. She simply lifted her hand, tapped open the shopping app, and then suddenly remembered, “But using WeChat video won’t get the account banned, right?”
Ye Jiayuan had already considered that. “Mm... as long as it’s not too explicit.”
Ye Jiayuan was still thinking it over when she suddenly heard Fu Chaoying speak in a small voice. “Um... Sister, I...”
Seeing her hesitate, Ye Jiayuan looked into her eyes seriously. “Mm?”
In the end, Fu Chaoying had no choice but to say it outright. “I’m going to Gangcheng on a business trip this Friday; you don’t have to wait until you come over on Sunday..."
A flash of surprise crossed Ye Jiayuan’s brows. “Was that decided today?”
“It’s a surprise.” Fu Chaoying felt her cheeks grow hotter and hotter. “If Sister waits for me in Gangcheng, it’ll probably be even more immersive..."
“Okay.” Ye Jiayuan answered in a low voice. Looking at Fu Chaoying through the screen, a trace of meaning slipped through her eyes before she said, almost casually, “Sweetheart’s cheeks are so pink.”
Fu Chaoying realized what she meant and quickly looked away, making up an excuse. “Maybe I had a little wine tonight; I’m a bit warm.”
“Oh...” Ye Jiayuan said considerately. “Then should Sweetheart go wash her face and cool off?”
Ye Jiayuan hadn’t suggested turning the air-conditioning down because she knew why Fu Chaoying was blushing.
She saw through it without exposing it.
Fu Chaoying’s heart stirred. She blurted out, “Okay. Then don’t catch a chill, Sister. Hurry up and put your clothes on.”
Before she finished speaking, she heard Ye Jiayuan laugh softly.
“Alright.”
Fu Chaoying no longer dared look at the screen. She set down her phone and went to the bathroom.
Even so, her mind kept replaying Ye Jiayuan’s earlier appearance.
A feast for the eyes. Too bad she wasn’t in Gangcheng.
Fu Chaoying patted her cheeks and rinsed her face with cold water several times before finally bringing the heat down.
When she had been the one taking the initiative, Fu Chaoying had never been this shy. Now that Ye Jiayuan was the one leading, things were different; she always felt as if she were being lured and teased by that captivating older sister...
It was enough to make her restless, and yet she couldn’t stop blushing.
After steadying herself, Fu Chaoying came out of the bathroom, only to hear a soft call. “Sweetheart..."
Her tone was full of tenderness and lingering affection. Fu Chaoying’s heart skipped; she hurried in three quick steps to the window and picked up her phone again. On the screen, Ye Jiayuan was sitting properly, fully dressed, and perfectly composed.
As if that earlier call had only been her imagination.
Fu Chaoying coughed twice. “Did Sister just call me?”
“Mm, I was wondering why you still hadn’t come back.” Ye Jiayuan’s expression was cool, but her brows and eyes still held warmth.
Fu Chaoying leaned halfway against the sofa and looked at her, studying her features. “Sister is really beautiful.”
Then she heard a low laugh from the other end. Fu Chaoying looked up and saw her thin lips part slightly. “Too bad Sweetheart can’t eat it.”
Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together. “I’ll be able to... eat it on Friday.”
The instant the words left her mouth, silence seemed to fall on the other end. Fu Chaoying blinked. “Sister?”
Ye Jiayuan shook her head slightly. “Nothing. I’ll wait for you.”
Fu Chaoying picked up her phone and sat on the bed, video-chatting with her. “Has Sister ever thought about what it would have been like if we’d gotten together back in college...”
“When I was in college, you were still a minor.” As she spoke, Ye Jiayuan also got up and sat on the edge of her bed, just like Fu Chaoying.
Fu Chaoying burst out laughing. “I mean when I was in college.”
“Would we have video-called like this back then?”
“We would.” Ye Jiayuan sounded inexplicably certain.
Fu Chaoying smiled at her. “Is it because... Sister is clingy?”
Ye Jiayuan looked at her with a faint smile. “No. I was afraid you’d be snatched away by some other girl.”
“After all... you had quite a few admirers in college.”
It was just jealousy over something long past.
Fu Chaoying couldn’t help laughing, then thought of something and asked, “Did Sister start liking me back when I was a freshman?”
Ye Jiayuan’s gaze went distant, as if she had fallen into thought.
Fu Chaoying stared at her with eager anticipation, only to hear her say, “I don’t think that counted.”
Fu Chaoying blinked.
Ye Jiayuan continued, “Before that, I treated you and Xiaohua the same; I saw both of you as younger sisters.”
“I was indeed very angry and heartbroken when you were forced to change dorms in your freshman year.”
“But I was only angry that my younger sister was being bullied, and sorry for you, an orphan of Aunt Fu.”
Fu Chaoying’s heart trembled. Suddenly, she found herself very fond of hearing Ye Jiayuan talk about the past, and about how she had seen her back then.
That was the road she and Ye Jiayuan had walked to get here.
“What about later? When did Sister realize she liked me?”
Ye Jiayuan thought again. “It seems like it was your sophomore year, when you and Xiaohua spent the summer at my house.”
“I went downstairs in the middle of the night to get water and found you sneaking ice cream from beside the refrigerator.”
Fu Chaoying blinked. “What was special about that?”
Ye Jiayuan coughed twice, her gaze turning slightly evasive, then said softly, “You were barefoot in a camisole dress, licking the ice cream while begging me not to tell my mother.”
Later, Ye Jiayuan had seen a post on Little Orange Book saying her style was pure and seductive—innocent eyes and a sultry body, enough to tug at anyone’s heart.
Fu Chaoying suddenly remembered that day and felt a little embarrassed. “It was too hot, and the air-conditioning downstairs wasn’t on. I thought everyone was asleep by then.”
Ye Jiayuan gave a light “Mm.” “That was when I realized something was a little off with me.”
“I didn’t notice anything at all. I only occasionally felt that Sister was a little strange, like... if I accidentally touched your arm, you’d suddenly pull away.”
Ye Jiayuan nodded slightly. “I struggled with myself for a long time. Then I heard that she had successfully confessed.”
“Only then did I realize I had really fallen for you.”
Fu Chaoying let out a barely audible sigh, then said softly, “We still have so, so many years ahead of us.”
Before she finished, she heard Ye Jiayuan give a low laugh, followed by, “Mm. It wasn’t easy.”
Fu Chaoying suddenly felt a pang of sweetness and ache; the thought that had lingered in her mind for a long time surfaced again.
She pressed, “What happened after that?”
“I’ll tell you later. I’ve said too much today.”
So mysterious. Fu Chaoying obediently nodded, then lay on her side and looked at her. “It’s very late.”
Ye Jiayuan also lay down, her gaze fixed on Fu Chaoying’s eyes on the screen, then drifting lower to her neck and collarbone.
She looked away almost imperceptibly and said in a deep voice, “Sleep. Good night.”
But Fu Chaoying refused to close her eyes for a long time. In the end, she asked shyly, “Sister, can I have... a goodnight kiss?”
Ye Jiayuan narrowed her eyes slightly and leaned her lips toward the front camera.
Looking at her thin lips, Fu Chaoying swallowed, then forced out the words with difficulty. “Good night!”
“Good night.”
Fu Chaoying slowly closed her eyes, but after a few minutes, she couldn’t help opening them again, only to run unpreparedly into Ye Jiayuan’s affectionate gaze.
“Sister?” Fu Chaoying’s voice softened unconsciously, thinking it was only an illusion.
But it wasn’t.
In the video, Ye Jiayuan looked into her eyes and said softly, “I like you so much.”
Fu Chaoying’s heart jolted violently. “Me too.”
No one knew when it had started, but all of Fu Chaoying’s thoughts and feelings had centered on her. Wanting to cling to her, wanting intimacy with her—it had become second nature.
She watched the smile bloom in Ye Jiayuan’s deep eyes and unconsciously curved her lips. “Good night, Sister.”
That very important sentence shouldn’t be said now. It wasn’t time yet, Fu Chaoying thought.
She had nearly blurted it out just now; that had been close.
Fu Chaoying had never imagined that she and Ye Jiayuan would spend an all-night video call together.
When she discovered the next morning that her phone had run out of battery, the corners of her lips lifted uncontrollably.
After charging it, she found a voice message Ye Jiayuan had sent half an hour earlier: “Good morning, sweetheart. I like you.”
She used to complain that Ye Jiayuan refused to lay her love bare; later, she realized that every day, Ye Jiayuan kept that love hidden deep in her heart.
Fu Chaoying drove to the company for work and, as expected, received flowers again.
The front desk had never looked at the card and didn’t know the sender was Ye Jiayuan; only her assistant Li Bingzhi and the girl from the legal department knew about it.
Li Bingzhi cheerfully helped her change the water in the previous bouquet, pretending not to know anything. “Teacher Fu has so many admirers. Doesn’t your girlfriend get jealous?”
“Is there a chance this is a gift from my girlfriend?”
“Oh my, Teacher Fu is finally admitting it.”
Fu Chaoying laughed helplessly and asked, “Is the business trip arrangement settled?”
“All good.” Li Bingzhi patted her chest. “You and Ms. Ye can just enjoy your private time; leave everything to us!”
Fu Chaoying smiled and nodded. “I’ll give you a bonus.”
“Yay! Teacher Fu is the best boss in the whole world!” Li Bingzhi sighed with emotion, though that was already the consensus across the company.
Fu Chaoying’s eyes curved as she arranged the flowers, as usual taking a photo to send to Ye Jiayuan before starting work.
At noon, Fu Chaohua and Dong Muyu invited her back to the old residence for lunch.
Fu Chaoying didn’t really want to be interrogated by Fu Anyun right now, so she brushed them off with the excuse of overtime.
Fu Chaohua didn’t insist, only saying, “Then next time you want to go back, call me and I’ll go with you.”
Her cousin had clearly guessed, and the two tacitly agreed to an unspecified next time.
After work in the evening, once she got home, Ye Jiayuan sent over the evening schedule: first a dinner banquet, then an international conference.
The other party was twelve hours behind Huaxia time, and Ye Jiayuan would be busy until late at night.
While Ye Jiayuan was still on the way, Fu Chaoying called her and reminded her to take care of her health and to rest as soon as she finished overtime.
Ye Jiayuan teased her, saying she sounded especially like a little wife.
Fu Chaoying laughed so hard she could hardly breathe. “Then, Sister, call me wife and let me hear it?”
Before she finished speaking, a clear voice came through the line: “Wife.”
Ye Jiayuan’s cool voice made the word sound especially serious.
Fu Chaoying couldn’t help laughing softly. “Who is Sister calling wife? Your girlfriend is still in the probation period.”
“Mm, let me think. Who was the one saying last night that on Friday she was going to eat me...”
The memory instantly brought back a wave of sultry recollection, and Fu Chaoying’s ears heated up. “You started it first!”
“Started what?” Ye Jiayuan asked innocently.
Fu Chaoying huffed. “You were the one who took out the little toy and said you wanted remote control..."
“Mm, and then you went along with it and said it.” Ye Jiayuan’s tone was flat, but the amusement in it was unmistakable.
“I’m not talking to you anymore. I’m going to eat!”
Fu Chaoying hung up, but her heartbeat didn’t slow.
Fortunately, she was alone on the second floor. Otherwise, if Aunt Wu had heard all that...
Fu Chaoying steadied herself and went downstairs to open her package.
“Xiaoying, time to eat.” Aunt Wu had just been about to go upstairs to call her when she saw her unpacking in the living room. “You can clean up after dinner.”
Fu Chaoying answered and put the box away before washing up for dinner.
After dinner, the sky outside was still glowing with sunset clouds.
Fu Chaoying hurried upstairs and went to the studio.
The inspiration came suddenly; Fu Chaoying quickly finished a small oil painting.
Thinking of the painting she had given Ye Jiayuan earlier, which she had also painted at dusk, her heart stirred. She refined it for quite a while before photographing it and sending it over.
Guessing that Ye Jiayuan was probably still at the banquet, Fu Chaoying waited a long time without a reply.
She took the newly opened package to the study and found her diary and photo album.
It was rare for her to be this focused; by the time Fu Chaoying came back to herself, it was already one in the morning.
When she opened her phone again, Ye Jiayuan had already sent her many messages; the latest was: [I’m sleeping. Good night, sweetheart.]
Fu Chaoying’s heart melted completely. She replied to each one, then went back to her room to rest.
The next morning, Fu Chaoying packed her luggage and brought her suitcase to the company.
At three in the afternoon, the team set off for the airport.
Their painting exhibition at Gangcheng Museum of Art was on Sunday; the schedule had already been arranged beforehand, and all they had to do was wait for Saturday’s installation.
After arriving at the airport, Fu Chaoying, as usual, sent Ye Jiayuan a message; the other party said she would come pick her up.
By the time they landed, Ye Jiayuan had just finished work.
During a security-check gap, Li Bingzhi walked up beside her and asked in a low voice, “Teacher Fu, is Ms. Ye coming to pick you up?”
Fu Chaoying nodded slightly. “She said she’d bring two cars; there’ll be enough room.”
But Li Bingzhi shook her head. “No, I mean I’m worried everyone will gossip when they see Ms. Ye...”
Fu Chaoying thought of a possibility and smiled faintly. “It’s fine. I don’t think anyone means any harm.”
Then she added, “Besides, Ms. Ye is my family friend’s sister. It’s normal for her to pick me up when I come to Gangcheng.”
Li Bingzhi nodded vigorously, then promised in a low voice, “Don’t worry, Teacher Fu! I won’t let them say a single bad word about Ms. Ye!”
Fu Chaoying burst out laughing and patted her shoulder. “If you keep hanging around me like this, I’m afraid your partner will get jealous.”
Li Bingzhi looked back guiltily and happened to meet the legal girl’s eyes.
“Go on,” Fu Chaoying said, withdrawing her gaze.
On the flight, Fu Chaoying opened the tray table, took out a ballpoint pen, and added a few lines before putting it back into her carry-on bag.
After passing through customs at Gangcheng Airport, she met up with Ye Jiayuan.
Ye Jiayuan had brought two drivers and two cars; with five people, there was more than enough room.
After Fu Chaoying introduced Ye Jiayuan, she introduced her colleagues one by one.
Although Ye Jiayuan’s expression was cool, her aura was somehow easygoing.
She gave them a slight nod and shook hands. “Nice to meet you.”
Fu Chaoying laughed beside her and ran into her tender gaze. “Shall we go?”
“Mm!”
Fu Chaoying and Li Bingzhi got into Ye Jiayuan’s car, while the other colleagues took the second one.
As the car pulled out of the parking lot, Fu Chaoying stuffed her bag into Ye Jiayuan’s arms, then leaned against her shoulder. “Jiayuan, lend me your shoulder.”
Ye Jiayuan gave a soft hum, a small smile flickering in her eyes and brows.
Li Bingzhi sat in the front passenger seat, keeping her eyes on the road and her thoughts to herself; she didn’t dare say much.
Fu Chaoying hadn’t slept well on the plane and, with the familiar scent of magnolia in Ye Jiayuan’s hair and body, drifted off before long.
By the time they reached the restaurant downstairs, the car slowed to a stop.
Li Bingzhi subconsciously looked back at Fu Chaoying, only to catch Ms. Ye gently stroking her hair, her eyes full of tenderness and indulgence.
Li Bingzhi’s eyes widened, then she quickly turned back and unexpectedly met the driver’s gaze.
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror and seemed used to it already, only saying softly, “Ms. Ye, we’ve arrived.”
Ye Jiayuan patted Fu Chaoying’s shoulder. “Xiaoying, we’re here.”
Fu Chaoying woke in a daze, yawned, and got out of the car with her.
When the manager saw Ye Jiayuan, he hurried over with flattering nods and personally led Ye Jiayuan and the others to the private room with the best view in the restaurant.
On the way, they even ran into Manager Nan, who looked at Fu Chaoying in surprise. “Xiao Fu, back on a business trip?”
Fu Chaoying gave her a polite nod. “Yes, the exhibition will be at the Gangcheng Museum of Art this Sunday.”
Manager Nan quickly exchanged greetings with the two of them and left for her own private room. Yet as she walked away, she felt that something was off. After a moment’s thought, could the girlfriend Ms. Ye had mentioned before really be... Fu Chaoying? Her younger sister’s ex-girlfriend??
Fu Chaoying and Ye Jiayuan entered the private room together. As they took their seats, Fu Chaoying leaned toward her and whispered, “Why is Manager Nan in Gangcheng again?”
“Probably for the same reason as you.” Ye Jiayuan answered lightly.
Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together. “I really am here on a business trip!”
Amusement flickered in Ye Jiayuan’s eyes. “Mm. Curating also requires the boss to show up in person.”
Unable to refute that, Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together, though the corners of her mouth still lifted.
After seeing everyone off and settling them into the arranged hotel, Ye Jiayuan sent them away.
At the hotel entrance, Fu Chaoying worriedly kept reminding Li Bingzhi, going over the work details again and again, along with the emergencies that might arise in another city.
“If anything comes up, call me anytime.”
Ye Jiayuan leaned by the car and waited patiently. When Fu Chaoying finally finished, a hint of a smile passed through her brows and eyes.
Watching her colleagues walk into the hotel, Fu Chaoying turned around, ready to leave with Ye Jiayuan, only to realize the driver had already disappeared; she was the only one left standing by the car.
The cold moonlight fell over Ye Jiayuan, giving her an added layer of misty, otherworldly grace.
Fu Chaoying blinked. Before she could say anything, she saw Ye Jiayuan take the initiative to open the front passenger door.
Fu Chaoying bent down and got into the car; a faint magnolia fragrance immediately filled the space before her. Before she could even settle in, Ye Jiayuan leaned close, and her cool scent instantly surrounded her.
Fu Chaoying’s heartbeat sped up uncontrollably. She instinctively held her breath, only to see that Ye Jiayuan had merely leaned over to fasten her seatbelt.
Her fingertips brushed over Fu Chaoying’s body in the lightest touch, bringing with it a numb, static-like tingle.
Once the seatbelt was secured, Ye Jiayuan straightened and withdrew, leaving Fu Chaoying alone in the car with that faint, lingering air of intimacy.
As the fragrance at her nose faded, Fu Chaoying felt an inexplicable sense of loss. Her gaze instinctively followed Ye Jiayuan as she turned right, watched her sit down, and close the car door.
Ye Jiayuan turned her head and looked over. Fu Chaoying met her eyes without warning, only to see her smile.
“I wanted to kiss you, but today I’ll listen to your arrangements.” Ye Jiayuan’s cool voice echoed in the cramped car interior, carrying the faintest rasp.
Fu Chaoying’s heart skipped. Her gaze was uncontrollably drawn to her thin lips, watching them open and close; she couldn’t help swallowing.
Without meaning to, she unfastened her seatbelt and moved closer and closer to Ye Jiayuan until there was only a hair’s breadth between them. Only then did Fu Chaoying suddenly come to her senses and force herself to stop.
She smiled a little awkwardly. “The car is too small. Let’s go home first.”
Ye Jiayuan’s gaze swept over her pink lips, her eyes darkening. Just as Fu Chaoying was about to retreat to her seat, Ye Jiayuan suddenly raised a hand and wrapped it around her neck.
Fu Chaoying’s body instantly stiffened. Feeling the burning heat conveyed through Ye Jiayuan’s fingertips, her heartbeat once again spiraled out of control. Watching Ye Jiayuan’s face draw closer and closer until their lips were nearly touching, she heard her say in a hoarse voice, “I want to kiss you. Right now.”
Fu Chaoying’s heart stirred. She gently rested a hand on Ye Jiayuan’s shoulder and took the initiative to offer her lips.
The instant their lips met, both of them shivered. It was as if thunder struck the ground; the spark ignited at first touch, silently speaking of the longing of the past two days apart.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Ye Jiayuan’s fingertips at the back of her neck seemed to stroke and tease her imperceptibly, wandering over her neck and collarbone in a way that made her want to sink into it. The other hand lifted something aside and cupped her waist, gently smoothing over it.
Fu Chaoying’s tongue was drawn into Ye Jiayuan’s kiss, and the scattered itchiness gathered all the way into her heart.
Their skin pressed together; they could feel the warmth passing between their bodies, and as Ye Jiayuan’s breathing grew more and more urgent, a soft moan slipped from Fu Chaoying’s throat.
“Mm...” Fu Chaoying’s breathing quickened; the rising cadence in her voice spoke of desire.
Ye Jiayuan let go of her lips at just the right moment, the corners of her mouth lifting into an incomparably tender smile. “Sweetheart... your body is more honest than your mouth.”
Fu Chaoying, weak all over from her teasing, looked at her with hazy eyes and took the initiative to lightly lick her lips. “My mouth is honest too. I like you, Sister.”
Ye Jiayuan trembled slightly, and the corners of her mouth couldn’t help rising. “So obedient today.”
Fu Chaoying sat back properly and smiled. “I’m looking forward to Sister’s reward.”
“Alright.” Ye Jiayuan answered solemnly, though her gaze deepened even further.
Fu Chaoying’s eyes curved. She obediently fastened her seatbelt.
The car started smoothly and merged into the night of Gangcheng.
The road was clear all the way. Fu Chaoying opened her phone and saw everyone in the business-trip group chat excitedly saying that Ye Jiayuan was really beautiful, and that her temperament was like a fairy’s.
Fu Chaoying smiled and relayed it to her. “Looks like Ms. Ye has picked up a few more little fans.”
Then she deliberately put on a jealous expression, pouting pitifully. “What if Sister gets too popular? Will someone else steal you away?”
Just then, the light was red.
The corners of Ye Jiayuan’s lips curved. She couldn’t help reaching out to pinch Fu Chaoying’s cheek, her tone endlessly gentle. “But Sister’s heart only has you.”
Fu Chaoying smiled in satisfaction and casually replied to them with a few emojis.
When they reached the underground garage, Fu Chaoying remembered the carry-on bag in the back seat, leaned over to take it, and entered the elevator lobby with Ye Jiayuan.
There was no one in the elevator. Fu Chaoying was suddenly pulled into Ye Jiayuan’s arms. Looking up instinctively, she teased, “Sister seems to have skin hunger.”
“This means...” Ye Jiayuan thought for two seconds. “I always want to be physically close to you.”
Fu Chaoying blinked. “I like it.”
“I know.” Ye Jiayuan tightened the arm around her, her tone carrying a barely perceptible indulgence.
Fu Chaoying poked her shoulder and couldn’t help acting spoiled. “Sister really has me figured out.”
Ye Jiayuan lowered her eyes to look at her and lightly kissed her lips. “And aren’t you the same, having me completely figured out?”
Before she finished speaking, Fu Chaoying wrapped her arms around Ye Jiayuan’s neck, rose slightly onto her toes, and breathed softly into her ear, fragrant as orchids: “Sister should go take a shower first...”
Warm breath brushed her ear; Ye Jiayuan’s body instantly stiffened. Looking down into her eyes, her voice turned husky. “Have you been thinking about it all the way?”
“No.” Fu Chaoying shook her head, her eyes shimmering. “I’ve been thinking about it for two days...”
Feeling her soft body pressed tightly against her, smelling the faint rose scent on her, Ye Jiayuan’s eyes darkened further and she gave a soft hum.
The elevator doors opened. Fu Chaoying slipped out of her arms and was led by the hand back home.
While Ye Jiayuan went upstairs to shower, Fu Chaoying sent a message to the housekeeper, then got busy.
Judging by how long Ye Jiayuan would take to shower, she didn’t have much time. Fortunately, with the housekeeper helping set things up, everything was ready in less than twenty minutes.
Estimating that the timing was about right, Fu Chaoying took a deep breath, calmed the wildly racing heartbeat in her chest, and went upstairs.
She gently pushed open the bedroom door and happened to catch Ye Jiayuan blow-drying her hair.
In the misty humidity, Ye Jiayuan’s faintly visible fair skin glowed softly; she gave off an indescribably seductive air.
Fu Chaoying’s heartbeat sped up again. She hurried forward and said softly, “Let me help you dry it.”
Ye Jiayuan paused, turned around, and with a curve at the corner of her lips, handed the hair dryer to her.
Ye Jiayuan stood there, letting Fu Chaoying gently dry her hair, feeling the warmth and tingling sensation pass through her fingertips.
After finishing, Ye Jiayuan coughed twice; her voice was low and hoarse. “Start now?”
Fu Chaoying was amused by how serious she sounded and burst out laughing. She hugged her from behind, buried her face in the crook of her neck, and rubbed lightly before whispering, “But there’s a surprise waiting for Sister downstairs...”
Ye Jiayuan turned back in confusion, about to ask, when Fu Chaoying lightly hooked her finger; the soft, warm sensation behind her immediately disappeared.
Fu Chaoying hooked her finger with hers and slowly led her downstairs.
Ye Jiayuan’s view was full of Fu Chaoying’s profile; she saw her lips curved, her gaze flowing.
Ye Jiayuan’s throat moved. She couldn’t help looking forward to the surprise.
Finally, at the turn of the stairs, they saw tiny points of candlelight in the dark night, forming the shape of a heart.
Ye Jiayuan understood at once. Even though they were already in a relationship, Fu Chaoying still wanted to make up a confession ritual for her at this moment.
“Don’t think it’s tacky,” Fu Chaoying said with a soft smile, bringing her to the lit area of the candles before kneeling on one knee in front of her.
Ye Jiayuan wanted to help her up, but then saw that she was holding a rose.
“Let me speak first, Sister.” Fu Chaoying gazed into her eyes, her expression especially serious.
Ye Jiayuan froze for a moment, only to hear her clear her throat, then begin earnestly, “Senior Ye Jiayuan.
“We’ve known each other since we were children, and I always regarded you as the older neighbor sister I admired and liked most.
“In countless low points, I saw you as my role model, even my idol. The painting you gave me still hangs on my bedroom wall to this day.”
Fu Chaoying couldn’t help smiling faintly as she said this, then continued, “Later, every morning the moment I opened my eyes, I would think of you; I wanted to know what you were doing, whether anything happy had happened to you.
“In the period when you refused to be my girlfriend, I didn’t even want to sleep in that room. It always felt empty, as if something was missing.”
Ye Jiayuan was just about to speak when Fu Chaoying gently interrupted her. “I actually can’t quite tell when I started liking you. Was it when you took me back to South University to see the puppies, or when you kissed me for the first time?”
Fu Chaoying tilted her head and blinked lightly.
“But I may have already started falling for you long ago; I just sometimes didn’t dare admit it.”
Fu Chaoying let out a soft sigh and said somewhat helplessly, “I was afraid of repeating the same mistakes, afraid of getting hurt again. I had just finally healed myself; how could I fall for someone again so quickly?”
“I think maybe it’s because you naturally have an excellent filter in my eyes.” Fu Chaoying lifted her head and looked into Ye Jiayuan’s eyes. “You were too good to me, so when I caught a glimpse of even a little something special, I started to fantasize about owning it.”
As she said this, more complicated emotions appeared in Fu Chaoying’s eyes. She lowered her head and was silent for a moment, then looked up again. “So I kept testing you, kept getting closer to you, kept wanting you to fall for me, wanting to hear you say you like me.
“I like seeing you lose control for me; I like you holding me, kissing me, entering me.” Fu Chaoying’s cheeks reddened slightly, but her eyes were utterly candid, without the slightest trace of shyness or avoidance.
“Then the more you came toward me, the more I fell for you.”
Fu Chaoying’s gaze drifted; she looked down and said softly, “Actually, I’m a bit stubborn. Sister must have noticed.”
“I stubbornly wanted to hear you say you like me, but I never dared reveal my own feelings easily. I was always afraid I’d misread things, afraid I was just being self-indulgent, so I kept cautiously testing and waiting.”
“But today, I finally gathered the courage to tell you the feelings I’ve accumulated for so long—”
Fu Chaoying took a deep breath, lifted her head, and fixed Ye Jiayuan with a blazing gaze. Her tone was earnest, full of feeling. “Ye Jiayuan, I love you. Will you be my girlfriend?”
In the candlelight, Ye Jiayuan looked at her clear, pure, sensitive, and delicate eyes. Those smiling eyes that had drawn her gaze countless times were now looking at her in complete earnestness, confessing love to her.
Fu Chaoying tilted her head and looked at her, waiting for her answer.
“I accept.” Ye Jiayuan’s voice was a little hoarse, with a barely perceptible catch in it.
Fu Chaoying froze slightly; before she could react, Ye Jiayuan helped her to her feet, then unexpectedly pulled her into her arms; the roses were set aside on a small side table.
“Sweetheart.” Ye Jiayuan called her softly, her voice infinitely gentle.
“I’ve been reflecting too. If I could start over, I’d be even more honest; I’d give you flowers, confess to you, and tell you that I started liking you very early on.”
Hearing this, Fu Chaoying was deeply moved and couldn’t help reaching out to gently rub her back, saying softly, “That’s good too, isn’t it? Sister put so much thought into luring me in...”
Before she finished, Fu Chaoying felt a tender touch at the top of her head.
Ye Jiayuan gently ruffled her hair, her brows and eyes curved. “So you arranged the heart-shaped candles because that was the popular way to confess back when I was in college?”
Fu Chaoying couldn’t help laughing and buried herself in her embrace, laughing softly. “Sister is so smart.”
Ye Jiayuan tightened her arms, as if she wanted to knead Fu Chaoying into her very bones.
Feeling that blazing embrace, Fu Chaoying couldn’t help raising a hand to lightly poke the hollow of her waist. “There’s another surprise.”
As she spoke, she rose slightly onto her toes and leaned to Ye Jiayuan’s ear, breathing out softly and sweetly: “But... Sister has to give me my reward first...”
Her voice carried an indescribable allure.
Feeling Ye Jiayuan’s body stiffen slightly, Fu Chaoying let her heels return to the floor, only to crash into Ye Jiayuan’s dark eyes.
Her heart stirred. Through the thin layer of her pajamas, Fu Chaoying kissed the tip of her chest and felt her body shiver lightly.