Chapter 68
The moment Wen Yan’s hand circled Jin Zijin’s waist and she leaned in to kiss her, the other woman lifted her right index finger and gently pressed it to her lips.
“Wait.” Jin Zijin’s voice came from right in front of her, low and alluring. “Go take a shower first.”
She paused, then pressed her lips lightly to Wen Yan’s and added, “Together.”
Wen Yan froze for a beat, then laughed. “Okay.”
As soon as the word left her mouth, Wen Yan bent down, slipped one arm under Jin Zijin’s knees and the other around her back, and with a little force lifted her into a steady bridal carry.
Jin Zijin let out a soft gasp and instinctively looped her arms around Wen Yan’s neck, nestling into her embrace as Wen Yan carried her up to the master bedroom on the second floor.
Wen Yan nudged the bathroom door shut with her heel.
The bathroom was spacious, and warm white light spilled from the recessed strips, making every corner bright and clear.
Soon water was running; rising steam blurred the glass partition.
Two figures overlapped dimly behind the curtain of water, their low conversation mingling with the sound of the shower, impossible to make out clearly. Only the occasional soft laugh slipped through, feather-light and teasing against the heart.
The washing took longer than usual, yet somehow still felt too quick.
When the water finally stopped, Wen Yan pulled out a large, soft bath towel and wrapped Jin Zijin completely in it, her movements so careful they were almost reverent.
She lowered her head and used the corner of the towel to gently blot the droplets clinging to Jin Zijin’s hair ends and the side of her neck.
Jin Zijin let her do as she pleased, only tilting her face up to look at her; the haze of steam and the bathroom lights reflected in her eyes, making them shine brilliantly.
Once she was dry, Wen Yan bent again, about to pick her up.
But Jin Zijin reached out and laid her palm on Wen Yan’s shoulder.
“Wait.” She said it again.
Wen Yan stopped and raised a brow at her.
Jin Zijin’s gaze slowly swept across the bathroom before settling on the wide vanity.
The countertop was smooth as a mirror, cold and hard, and wide enough for someone to lie on.
In front of it was an entire wall of frameless mirror stretching from ceiling to floor, reflecting everything in the bathroom with startling clarity.
The drifting mist, the warm yellow lighting, and their half-dressed reflections, breathing a little unevenly.
“Here.” Jin Zijin’s voice dropped, almost to a whisper.
Wen Yan followed her gaze; at first, she froze, a strange flicker flashing deep in her pupils.
“Here?” she repeated, her voice roughening a little.
“Mm.”
Jin Zijin’s fingertips slid down from her shoulder, grazing Wen Yan’s collarbone in the barest touch before hooking the loose lapel of her robe and giving it a slight tug. “It’s narrow... but somehow open too.”
“The stone underneath is cold, and the mirror in front can show everything...”
Wen Yan’s breathing stilled.
She lowered her eyes and looked at Jin Zijin. In those eyes full of possessiveness, there was a trace of wicked, restless curiosity.
Dangerous.
Alluring.
Wen Yan felt as if she were about to sink completely into it.
Unconsciously, she followed Jin Zijin’s rhythm, smiling indulgently. “Where did you learn that?”
“Don’t worry about it.” Jin Zijin leaned in closer; her warm breath brushed Wen Yan’s lips like the softest tease.
She wrapped her arms around Wen Yan’s neck, pressed their foreheads together, and exhaled with a scent like orchid fragrance; her voice had turned syrupy, thick with undisguised desire. “Do it...”
Wen Yan swallowed, her voice low and husky. “Okay.”
No longer hesitating, she wrapped Jin Zijin in the bath towel and carried her the few steps to the vanity.
The underfloor heating had clearly been turned up in advance; the bathroom floor and even the air seemed to steam with summer-night warmth, creating a strange contrast against the cool stone beneath.
Carefully, Wen Yan set Jin Zijin down on the countertop. The towel spread open beneath her, outlining skin still damp with steam.
Wen Yan did not immediately lean in.
She stood between Jin Zijin’s parted legs, her hands braced on the cold stone on either side of her body, bending slightly so that she completely enclosed her in shadow.
With her head lowered, Wen Yan’s gaze moved like a precise scanner, inch by inch across Jin Zijin’s pink-tinted cheeks, the slight rise and fall of her chest, and the faint outline hidden beneath the towel.
Finally she lifted her eyes and met the other woman’s, those pupils reflecting the overhead light as if they had caught a handful of stars.
Silence spread between them, broken only by the deepening rhythm of their breathing.
In the mirror over the vanity, the shadows of two bodies stood quietly at odds; one taut and powerful, the other soft and completely unguarded.
Jin Zijin gave a soft laugh and lifted her arms around Wen Yan’s neck.
She arched her neck like an elegant swan; her damp lips brushed Wen Yan’s jaw with the barest graze, leaving a wet, warm trail.
Then she followed the pulse along the side of Wen Yan’s neck, moving upward with light kisses and slow rubs, as though savoring a dessert she had long been waiting for.
Her movements were slow, deliberately lingering and teasing, until at last she reached the corner of Wen Yan’s lips.
Wen Yan did not move. She merely lowered her eyes and watched, letting those tiny kisses fall beside her mouth, her own breathing gradually heating.
The instant Jin Zijin’s tongue tentatively touched her teeth, Wen Yan opened her mouth and caught her precisely.
She bit lightly on the other woman’s lip, sucking softly before prying open her teeth and tangling with the tip of her tongue, surging in with aggressive certainty.
Her kiss was so hard, so fierce, as if she meant to swallow Jin Zijin’s breath, her temperature, her entire attention whole.
Jin Zijin let out a faint whimper; whether from surprise or satisfaction, it was impossible to tell. Her fingers instinctively clutched the front of Wen Yan’s robe.
Wen Yan began to taste her own reward.
The kiss moved from her lips to her jaw, then dropped onto Jin Zijin’s vulnerable, upturned neck.
The towel’s restraint came undone with ease and was tossed aside. The cool air touched skin, setting off small tremors; but they were quickly covered and smoothed away by even hotter lips and tongue.
The unfamiliar setting, the cold hard support, the blurred overlapping reflections in the giant mirror before them—all of it acted like fuel, magnifying sensation to the extreme.
Jin Zijin’s breathing turned completely chaotic. Her eyes half-lidded, long lashes clumping with moisture, her gaze drifted dazedly toward the warm yellow halo of light on the ceiling, then couldn’t help flicking back to the face-burning scene in the mirror.
A fierce emptiness spread through her body’s depths, making her unconsciously curl her toes; her calves lifted on instinct and hooked around Wen Yan’s waist.
“...Wen Yan.”
She called her name, her voice shattered beyond recognition.
Wen Yan answered, her own voice heavy and rough.
At last she stopped kissing and lifted her head; fine beads of sweat had gathered at her temples.
She looked down at Jin Zijin, already drunk on desire beneath her, and reached out to brush away the damp hair clinging to her forehead before wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her even tighter against herself.
“Hold on.” Her command came low.
Jin Zijin obeyed almost instinctively, arms tightening around Wen Yan’s shoulders; her nails sank unconsciously into the tense muscles of Wen Yan’s back.
The next second, Wen Yan reached down.
“Mm...”
Jin Zijin jerked her head back, her neck drawing into a taut line.
All sound was trapped deep in her throat, bursting out only as a short, sharp gasp.
In the mirror, her body trembled violently, like a feather suddenly caught by the wind.
Too much.
This angle, this position, this inescapable situation.
The cold stone pressed against her back; in front of her was Wen Yan’s scorching body, impossible to resist.
The self in the mirror was completely undone, left to be taken as she wished.
Shame and overwhelming pleasure wove together into a net, binding her fast.
Sweat began to bead densely, dripping from Wen Yan’s temples and jaw before landing on Jin Zijin’s collarbone and chest.
Their sweat mingled, turning sticky where their skin was pressed together.
In the air, the clean citrus scent of the body wash had been steamed into something richer and sweeter by their body heat.
It spread through every corner with a fierce, almost aggressive presence, burning reason to ashes.
Wen Yan’s movements had started out restrained, but very quickly, fueled by that scent and by the increasingly unsteady reactions of the woman beneath her, she lost control.
The muscles in her arms bulged; veins stood out on the backs of the hands braced against the countertop. Her rhythm slipped out of restraint, each stroke harder than the last.
“Wai... slower...”
Jin Zijin tried to dodge, tried to beg, but the moment she moved her back even half an inch, she met the cold tile wall behind her, while the front path had already been completely sealed by Wen Yan.
She was trapped in a space no bigger than a square inch, with nowhere to advance or retreat.
Under the relentless, violent impact, her body seemed on the verge of collapse; every cell was screaming.
Willpower tried uselessly to build a dam, only to be swept away the next second by an even higher wave.
She felt like a small boat in a storm, tossed high and then slammed down hard, able only to cling tightly to the one piece of driftwood in front of her.
Jin Zijin’s defenses completely crumbled.
She suddenly bit down on Wen Yan’s shoulder, and the suppressed whimpering and broken moans finally broke free from her mouth.
Her body convulsed violently, tightening around Wen Yan even more before going completely weak and collapsing limp into her arms. Even before the aftershocks had fully faded, she still trembled faintly there, staring blankly past Wen Yan’s solid shoulder at her own reflection in the mirror.
The bathroom was left with nothing but their staggered, unsteady breathing and the low hum of the heating system.
Everything reflected in the mirror was luscious, messy, and enough to make the heart race.
Wen Yan lowered her head and kissed the damp corner of Jin Zijin’s forehead, her arms still firmly around her.
“The birthday cake...” She spoke against Jin Zijin’s hot ear, her voice hoarse, full of unfinished desire and thick, lingering indulgence. “Tastes very good.”
Jin Zijin no longer even had the strength to glare at her. She only buried her face deeper into Wen Yan’s neck, breathing in the other woman’s reassuring scent.
——————
Morning light passed through the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling gauze curtains, filtered into a layer of warm honey color, and spread over the silk bedding with a soft, velvety glow.
The steam from last night had long since dispersed; only a faint trace of citrus lingered in the air, mixed with the subtle scent of body wash, wrapping the whole room in quiet.
When Wen Yan came out of the bathroom after washing up, there was still a touch of cool moisture at the ends of her hair, which hung loosely over her shoulders and revealed the clean lines of her neck.
Jin Zijin was already awake and lying in bed on a call with her assistant.
She was half reclined against the headboard, her silk robe loosely draped over her shoulders, one side of her waist and abdomen subtly twisted as she used a hand, through the thin fabric, to gently knead her lower back again and again.
Her brows were faintly furrowed, and her lips pressed into a shallow line; it was obvious she was in considerable discomfort.
With her other hand, she held her phone to her ear, voice lowered as she gave instructions to her assistant: “Move the morning meeting back by half an hour; send me the schedule again... Mm, keep the spa appointment this afternoon; don’t change it.”
Wen Yan softened her steps as she walked over, the mattress dipping slightly when she sat down.
She bent over and placed her warm palm directly on Jin Zijin’s lower back, covering the sore, aching spot and pressing down.
Wen Yan’s fingertips slowly circled and kneaded with gentle, precise strength, landing exactly on the most tender tendons.
Jin Zijin stiffened; the voice on the phone paused for half a second, and the tips of her ears reddened slightly.
Wen Yan’s touch was far too practiced, the pressure just right; the tight, aching waist and abdomen relaxed almost at once.
But the sensation carried the lingering warmth from last night, making the heart tremble.
As she rubbed, Wen Yan’s fingers unconsciously slid an inch lower, with a hint of deliberate mischief.
Jin Zijin came to herself instantly and seized her wandering wrist, lifting her eyes to glare at her.
The woman’s eyes were still hazy with the morning mist, and even her reproach looked soft and fluffy, carrying no real threat at all; she looked instead like a little cat with its fur blown up, scratching at the heart.
Wen Yan gave a low laugh, then bent closer and pressed her lips lightly to the corner of Jin Zijin’s mouth, brushing there softly as her voice melted sweetly, like candy: “Uncomfortable? I can be gentler.”
Jin Zijin’s cheeks burned. She hurriedly told the assistant, “Let’s leave it at that for now; I’ll contact you later,” then hung up directly.
She lifted a small fist and lightly punched Wen Yan’s shoulder, half embarrassed and half annoyed. “Wen Yan, I’ve realized you really are sneaky when you’re being mean.”
“Last night you wouldn’t stop fooling around until late, and now you’re teasing me again.”
Wen Yan smiled, reached out, and wrapped an arm around her waist, gently pulling her into her embrace.
She kissed her again, a soft peck, and her tone was full of spoiling indulgence. “Yes, I am sneaky; I’m only like this with you.”
Her fingertips lightly stroked Jin Zijin’s side, and her breath brushed her ear with a low, husky laugh. “Then... one more time?”
Jin Zijin’s face instantly went red. She shoved her away and shrank back into the bed, clutching her waist and shaking her head repeatedly. “No, no. My waist still aches; even moving is tiring.”
Then she paused, looked up at Wen Yan, and let a faint smile rise in her eyes. “I’ve got a spa appointment with Chi Chunxin this afternoon. Do you want to come too?”
Wen Yan thought about it. She had a practical training class at the medical school in the morning, and the schedule was packed; there was nothing arranged for the afternoon, though. So she nodded. “Okay. I’ll go to class in the morning and come find you on time in the afternoon.”
After massaging her a little longer until Jin Zijin’s brows relaxed, Wen Yan finally got up to change.
The two of them went downstairs for breakfast. A table full of delicate dishes had already been set out. Jin Zijin didn’t have much appetite, so Wen Yan patiently brought food to her lips and took care of her with great attention.
The driver was already waiting outside; the black sedan left the old residence smoothly and headed toward the city center.
The car stopped at the Peking University School of Medicine. Wen Yan unfastened her seat belt, leaned over, and gently pressed a kiss to the corner of Jin Zijin’s lips.
Jin Zijin lifted a hand to cradle her face, then kissed her cheek in return, her voice soft and sticky: “See you this afternoon. Miss me.”
Wen Yan smiled and agreed. “Okay. See you this afternoon.”
After opening the car door and waving once more, Wen Yan watched the sedan drive off before turning and walking into the medical school gates.
At four in the afternoon, Wen Yan arrived on time at the spa and wellness center, “Yunjian,” under the Jin family group.
It was tucked away in a quiet villa district on the hillside, with its own grounds and gate, decorated in the most tasteful, understated luxury.
Raw wood and jade accents dotted the space; fragrance curled through the air, and water murmured softly, everything exuding the privacy of a top-tier establishment.
The receptionist recognized Wen Yan as someone from President Jin’s side and quickly bowed to show her the way, leading her through the corridor and water feature to open the door of a lightly luxurious tea room.
Chi Chunxin was already there, leaning sideways on the sofa and scrolling on her phone. Beside her sat another woman, slim and gentle in demeanor.
It was Song Yao.
At the sound of the door, Chi Chunxin immediately looked up, her eyes lighting. She waved her over. “Wen Yan! Over here, over here!”
Wen Yan walked over at an unhurried pace and nodded slightly to both of them. “Chunxin, Miss Song.”
Song Yao also nodded gently, a faint smile curving her lips. “Hello, Dr. Wen.”
Chi Chunxin sat up straight and leaned forward a little, sounding somewhat urgent. “Since you’re here, I was just about to tell you something!”
Wen Yan raised a brow, sat down on the sofa, and accepted the hot tea handed over by the attendant. “What is it?”
“Here’s the thing,” Chi Chunxin explained. “The education bureau and the health commission have jointly launched a new set of campus traditional Chinese wellness exercises.”
“There are versions for elementary and middle schools, and for universities; the main idea is traditional health preservation and posture correction, and they want it rolled out across every level of education.”
“My mom got this job through a connection, but actually Old Ye was the one who spearheaded it and had the education bureau assign me the task of filming the demonstration course.”
“It has to be shot, edited, and wrapped before New Year’s. By next spring semester, all schools nationwide are supposed to be following along.”
She rubbed her brow with a long face, looking thoroughly troubled. “I’ve been picking people for almost half a month now, and it’s given me a headache.”
“The requirements aren’t low. First, they need some grounding in traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts, or dance, and their movements have to be standard and accurate. Second, they need to look good on camera and have good energy. Third, everyone’s schedule has to line up so we can finish filming before the end of the year.”
“I looked all over, and in the end only Senior Jiang has practiced tai chi and agreed; Song Yao has a dance background and also trains in traditional martial arts, and she agreed too. The last core demonstration spot is the only thing left, and after thinking it over, you’re really the best fit.”
“You’re a teacher at the Peking University medical school, and you’ve trained in martial arts yourself; your fundamentals are the strongest. On top of that, you’re stunning. On camera, you’d look better than any professional model!”
Chi Chunxin clasped her hands together and looked at Wen Yan with pleading eyes. Her tone was full of supplication: “Senior Jiang and Song Yao have both said yes; it’s just you left. Just help me shoot it?”
Wen Yan was about to speak when a familiar, indignant voice came from behind her.
“Get lost!”
At the sound, Wen Yan turned her head and saw Jin Zijin pushing the door open and walking in.
She came over at an unhurried pace and sat down beside Wen Yan, naturally hooking her arm around Wen Yan’s, then rolled her eyes at Chi Chunxin. “It’s already the 26th today; there are only five days until New Year’s. Coming to Wen Yan at this point is basically forcing her to do it.
“There are so many martial arts champions and professional fitness instructors out there; just grab any one of them. Don’t get ideas about my wife.”
Chi Chunxin immediately looked miserable. She leaned over and tugged at Jin Zijin’s sleeve, shaking it with shamelessly blatant coquettishness. “I did look! But none of them look as good as Wen Yan!”
“Wen Yan’s proportions, her bearing; just standing in front of the camera, she’d crush everyone else. I really can’t bear to let her go~”
“Zijin, just lend her to me once~”
Reaching this point, Chi Chunxin swore fervently, “Just three days around New Year’s; one day to pick out the footage, one day for rehearsal, one day for shooting. I’ll absolutely get it done perfectly!”
“Whatever you want me to do in the future, I’ll agree to it. I’ll go through fire and water without hesitation. Please, please, please!”
Jin Zijin pulled her sleeve back, her expression firm. “No chance. Not happening.”
Watching the two of them bicker, Wen Yan couldn’t help but smile. She lightly patted Jin Zijin’s hand, then looked at Chi Chunxin. “All right, I can agree.”
“Only, I’m on duty at the Chinese medicine hospital on New Year’s Day itself, so I can only free up a day and a half. If that’s enough for your schedule, I can cooperate.”
Chi Chunxin’s eyes went wide at once, nearly jumping in place with delight. “Really?”
“A day and a half is more than enough! We can squeeze the footage and rehearsal together, and for post-production I’ll have the team work through the night. It’ll definitely be in time!”
So excited she practically sprang up, she tried to rush over and hug Wen Yan; but the moment she got close, Jin Zijin lifted her leg and kicked her back lightly.
Like a mother guarding her cub, Jin Zijin pulled Wen Yan behind her and let out a huff full of possessiveness. “Stay away from my wife. What kind of behavior is that, getting handsy?”
Chi Chunxin rubbed the leg she’d been kicked in and stuck out her tongue, no longer daring to come closer.
Song Yao, watching the three of them squabble, lightly stroked the rim of her cup with her fingertips. A faint smile flashed through her eyes before being quickly hidden as she sank into silent thought.
She seemed both curious and unsurprised by this kind of intimate, unrestrained interaction.
Soon after, the therapist came to lead the way, and the four of them entered the private spa treatment room together.
The room was covered in a soft wool carpet; warm yellow light spread out, and the air carried the faint fragrance of sandalwood and lavender. Four treatment beds were set side by side, separated by sheer curtains; private yet open.
Jin Zijin, Chi Chunxin, and Song Yao lay down in order, while Wen Yan also lay face-down on the outermost bed.
Her back stretched smoothly; her shoulder line was neat and clean, every inch of it hiding the taut, sculpted beauty built by years of exercise.
Wen Yan’s therapist was a senior technician at the center. The moment her fingertips touched Wen Yan’s back, she could not help but exclaim softly, “Wow... so beautiful...”
As soon as the words came out, she realized she had misspoken and hurriedly covered her mouth, her cheeks flushing red in embarrassment.
Chi Chunxin, with the sharpest ears of them all, immediately lifted the sheer curtain over herself and craned her neck to look over at Wen Yan, calling out loudly, “What? What’s beautiful? The back muscles? Let me see, let me see! I love looking at beautiful back muscles!”
As she spoke, she was already about to lift the curtain and squeeze over, but Jin Zijin instantly sat up and put a hand in front of Wen Yan’s treatment bed, looking both guarded and annoyed. “Chi Chunxin, get back over there! Stay away from my wife! What are you looking at?”
Chi Chunxin shrank her neck under the scolding and lay back down resentfully, but still couldn’t stop herself from peeking through the curtain.
The therapist applied oil and covered Wen Yan’s back, then tactfully tried to smooth things over, speaking with sincere admiration: “Dr. Wen, your back muscles are really beautiful. They’re firm without being exaggerated, and there’s such a sense of strength to them.”
“And your qi and blood are especially abundant; your meridians are smooth, there isn’t a single knot, and your muscles aren’t stiff at all. Your physical condition is even better than that of many professional athletes. You must exercise often, right?”
Wen Yan lay face-down on the bed, cheek buried in the soft pillow. Hearing the therapist’s praise, the tips of her ears went slightly red. “Mm. I practice martial arts and work out regularly.”
“Wow——!” Chi Chunxin howled with excitement and clapped. “Your body is way too good! Jin Zijin, your luck is insane; you’ve basically found a treasure!”
Jin Zijin had just let the masseuse press into the aching lower back from last night and couldn’t help releasing a low, muffled groan.
Her face flushed, and she snapped at Chi Chunxin, “Shut up! Stop talking nonsense!”
Chi Chunxin laughed even harder and deliberately drawled, waggling her brows, “What, Jin Zijin, you’re too delicate for this? You’re groaning from just a little pressure; can you even handle it?”
She paused, then stretched out the tone on purpose, teasing with a knowing look: “Wait, I’ve wanted to ask for a while now. You’re so frail; you wouldn’t happen to be a pillow princess, would you?”
Jin Zijin’s face turned red at once, flushing from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears. Half embarrassed and half furious, she grabbed whatever was within reach and threw it toward Chi Chunxin: “Shut up! I’m not!”
Chi Chunxin laughed until she doubled over, then added fuel to the fire with exaggerated brows. “Ohhh—I get it, I get it! You’re not a top; you’re a 0.1! The one in between, right, right?”
Jin Zijin was so mad she felt hot all over. She glared at her through clenched teeth, silently fuming and wishing she could get up right then and there to seal Chi Chunxin’s mouth.
This woman really knew how to hit a sore spot; her mouth was absolutely awful. If she could, Jin Zijin would love nothing more than to teach her a lesson on the spot until she had no words left.
Lying face-down on the bed, Wen Yan listened to the two of them bicker; the tips of her ears reddened even more, but the corners of her mouth still couldn’t help curving into a gentle smile.
0.1?
That actually fit pretty well.
She had to admit, artists really did have sharp eyes when it came to reading people.