RAHHSFL - Chapter 89
Chapter 89
Qin Juran froze, the rain streaming down their faces. Shielded by the trench coat, the water trickled down her hair. She felt like a character in a painting, about to be washed away by the rain, her true form revealed.
She pursed her lips. "Ah Ruan, what are you asking?"
A low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance.
Ruan Nan didn't move, her gaze fixed on Qin Juran. She didn't seem angry, just incredibly curious, as if struggling to understand.
Qin Juran didn't want Ruan Nan to get any wetter, pulling her towards the car. Ruan Nan, like any girlfriend in a dramatic movie scene, refused to budge.
"I’m not going anywhere until you explain."
Qin Juran paused. Ruan Nan's flight was tomorrow; she couldn't risk her getting sick. After a moment of hesitation, she raised her voice above the rain. "Get in the car. I’ll tell you everything.”
Ruan Nan got in. The music was still playing. Qin Juran turned it off, grabbed a towel from the back seat, and, ignoring her own drenched clothes, started drying Ruan Nan’s face and hair.
The rain pounded against the car windows, the low rumble of thunder and the dark clouds creating a dramatic atmosphere, like a scene from a time-travel drama. The thin metal of the car offered little protection from the elements, the temperature inside dropping rapidly.
Ruan Nan watched as Qin Juran roughly dried her hair. Her makeup, already light, had been washed away by the rain, her wet hair slicked back, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling.
Ruan Nan couldn’t help herself, reaching out to gently stroke Qin Juran's face. Her forehead was cool, her cheeks soft, her lips slightly parted. Like a child with a doll, Ruan Nan’s eyes were filled with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief. This person, so real, so tangible, how could she not be who she seemed?
Qin Juran caught Ruan Nan's wrist, her gaze meeting hers, a hint of sadness in her smile. "Ah Ruan, do you really want to know?"
Ruan Nan nodded, a soft "yes" escaping her lips.
Qin Juran pursed her lips, as if unsure how to explain something so supernatural. After a moment, she looked at Ruan Nan. "Ah Ruan, I don’t speak Spanish. You know that, and you believe it, right?"
"Yes."
Qin Juran continued, "And my driving and skiing skills, you must have noticed something was off, right?"
Ruan Nan nodded. "Like you’d done it before, very skillfully.”
Qin Juran nodded. "Besides those external skills, there's also my personality. I told you people change. You’ve felt that, haven’t you?”
Qin Juran turned on the heater. Warm air circulated through the car, their damp clothes slowly drying. Ruan Nan felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.
When had Qin Juran started to change? When had she become someone else entirely?
She looked at Qin Juran, waiting for her to continue.
Qin Juran took a deep breath, tightening her grip on Ruan Nan's hand, her gaze unwavering. "Ah Ruan, what if I told you I don't belong to this world? Would you believe me?"
Before Ruan Nan could ask, she added, "Have you ever heard of 'transmigrating into a book'?"
"So, everything before, me, the world around me, it was all from a novel?" Ruan Nan asked, staring at her.
Qin Juran nodded. "Maybe. But the novel only showed a small part of it. I only know Qin Juran's ending, not yours.”
"But in the original world, you were the main character, and I was the villain?" Ruan Nan tried to find the right words.
Qin Juran nodded, her lips pressed together. "In the context of the main story, yes.”
"So, from the very beginning, I’ve been interacting with you, a 26-year-old, from another world, also named Qin Juran, who has actual experience as a CEO?”
"Yes," Qin Juran nodded.
Everything felt surreal. The person she had initially hated, then found herself strangely drawn to, the person she had fallen in love with, accepting the "rival turned lover" trope, was now telling her she was from another world, a completely different person.
Ruan Nan stared at her, her voice barely a whisper. "So you liked me because of how I was portrayed in that novel?"
Qin Juran smiled faintly. "Before I met you, yes. But the moment I saw you, I thought it was the first fortunate thing to happen to me after dying, or rather, after coming to this world. And then, I learned more about you, and I liked you even more."
She leaned closer, trying to dispel the strangeness of the situation with a hug, wanting Ruan Nan to see her as a real person, the same girlfriend who would let her choose underwear in the morning, wrapped in a bathrobe.
Ruan Nan didn't pull away, but the unsettling feeling, something beyond her comprehension, persisted.
After a long moment, Ruan Nan's muffled voice came from Qin Juran’s shoulder. "Did it hurt?"
"What?" Qin Juran didn't understand.
"The… car accident.”
Qin Juran smiled faintly. "It didn't hurt. Or rather, I didn’t feel any pain. I just felt tired, even a little relieved. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I saw you walking into the classroom, holding that envelope, your face all smug and proud."
Confessing everything like this, in the midst of a downpour, felt strangely liberating. She didn’t have to carefully choose her words, didn't have to worry about revealing too much.
She even felt that, for the first time, this embrace was truly theirs, real and completely honest.
"Do you miss them?" Ruan Nan asked.
Qin Juran paused. "My mother left when I was very young. My father was always busy with the Qin family business. He passed away when I was 25. My uncles and grandfather saw me as a disgrace to the family. Until the moment of the accident, they were still fighting over the inheritance in court."
"So, Ah Ruan, you should understand how much I cherish you, and Qin Haotian’s family, in this world."
She held Ruan Nan for a while longer. Ruan Nan asked, "Will you ever leave?"
The question, blunt and direct, broke the spell. Qin Juran’s heart skipped a beat. "Of course not."
Ruan Nan pulled away, leaning against the center console, her gaze searching. "Not intentionally. But will you, one day, just disappear, like you arrived?"
Her question hung in the air, her eyes pleading for an answer.
Some people avoided relationships with powerful figures. Some couldn’t handle long-distance relationships. Faced with a love they couldn't control, they would rather not have it at all.
And Ruan Nan was now facing a love that transcended time and space.
"I..." Qin Juran bit her lip, answering honestly, "I don't know.”
She had never considered this before, but now, faced with Ruan Nan's question, she truly didn’t know.
They stared at each other for a long moment. The rain showed no sign of stopping. Qin Juran glanced at the time. "Ah Ruan, let’s go back and eat.”
Ruan Nan nodded softly. "Okay."
"Should I get the umbrella?"
"Okay."
"Then wait for me here, I’ll be right back."
Ruan Nan nodded again. Qin Juran grabbed her bag and the trench coat and ran back into the rain. She rushed into Ju Tavern. Qin Haotian, seeing her drenched, was startled and quickly offered her a dry shirt.
Qin Juran put on his shirt, grabbed an umbrella, and ran back out.
When she returned to the street where she’d parked, the Range Rover was gone. The street was empty, just a few hurried pedestrians rushing home.
Cars sped past, their headlights cutting through the rain. Qin Juran stood there, alone under the black umbrella, the water rising above her ankles, the raindrops tracing arcs as they fell.
She looked in the direction Ruan Nan might have gone and stood there for a long time.
After lunch, Qin Juran told her parents that Ruan Nan had suddenly had to leave for a company emergency. Knowing about the recent crisis, Qin Haotian didn't ask any further questions, just told her to go back if she was worried.
Qin Juran took the earliest bus to S City, arriving in the evening.
Feng Qing picked her up in her personal car. Seeing Qin Juran get in, she asked, "What happened, President Qin? I’ve worked as an assistant for many companies, but this is the first time a CEO has asked for a personal pickup.”
Qin Juran ignored her. "Is Ah Ruan answering her phone?"
"No, I’ve called her so many times. I think I’m blocked now. What happened, President Qin? What did you do to make Chairman Ruan so angry?"
"..."
Qin Juran knew Ruan Nan tended to avoid confrontation, believing that if she just disappeared, things wouldn't escalate.
It was now evening. Ruan Nan should have been back in S City by now, unless she hadn't returned at all. Qin Juran felt a wave of anxiety. She called Zhou Ziqing. "Has Ah Ruan contacted you?"
"Nan Jie just sent me a message saying she needs some time alone. I looked for her at school, but she wasn't there. No lights on at your apartment, no answer at the door.”
"Qin Juran, what did you do to Nan Jie again?"
Qin Juran’s voice was tight with worry. "I’ll explain later.”
She hung up, her mind racing.
"Let’s go to the company.” Feng Qing drove her to the office. They searched every room, even alerting the security guards, but Ruan Nan was nowhere to be found. Feng Qing thought Qin Juran was losing her mind. "President Qin, have you ever heard of someone going to the office when they want to be alone?"
"...Me."
"..."
Not finding her at the office, Qin Juran went to the university. Zhou Ziqing had probably only checked the usual spots. Qin Juran went to specific locations: Lover’s Hill, where she had first hugged Ruan Nan; the small square where she had seen her perform; the spot near the girls' dormitory where Ruan Nan had first kissed her.
Nowhere.
Qin Juran stood there, Feng Qing beside her. "President Qin, do you think Chairman Ruan went to a bar or something?"
"No, Ah Ruan isn't that impulsive," Qin Juran said firmly.
"Then… then..."
They searched the small shops around campus. Although Qin Juran didn't believe Ruan Nan would be at a bar, she still checked a few near the university.
Still nothing.
It was getting late. Exhausted and worried, Qin Juran looked pale. Feng Qing, genuinely concerned, said, "President Qin, why don’t you go home? Chairman Ruan messaged Zhou Ziqing, so she must be okay. Maybe she’s just avoiding you.”
"..."
Qin Juran finally relented, asking Feng Qing to take her home. She told her to go home as well, but Feng Qing insisted on staying until Qin Juran was settled.
For the first time, Qin Juran found Feng Qing incredibly dedicated. She mumbled a few words and sat in the living room.
She turned on a dim light, didn’t change her clothes, just sat on the sofa, lost in thought.
Feng Qing didn't speak. After a while, Qin Juran, uncomfortable in her damp clothes, said, "I’m going to take a shower.”
She walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower without even checking the temperature. The water was unusually hot, the steam making her dizzy. After a while, she turned off the water and reached for her bathrobe, only to find it wasn't there.
She couldn't remember if she had put it back after her last shower. The bathroom was a bit far from the bedroom, and Feng Qing was in the living room. Qin Juran thought for a moment, then called out, still naked, "Feng Qing, could you get me a dress from my bedroom?"
Feng Qing, almost asleep in the living room, jumped up, closed her phone, and hurried to Qin Juran’s bedroom.
A moment later, Feng Qing’s strained voice called out, "President Qin, I can’t open your closet!”
"Can’t open it?"
"No, something seems to be stuck. I can't open it!" Feng Qing said, banging on the closet door.
"Come out. Ruan Nan's bedroom is on the left. You can get one from her closet."
"Okay." Feng Qing walked towards the other bedroom, then exclaimed, "President Qin, Chairman Ruan’s clothes are gone!"
"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Qin Juran’s voice was laced with panic.
"Like, all of them are gone! Come out and see for yourself!"
Qin Juran desperately wanted to see what Feng Qing was talking about. With both closets inaccessible, she was trying to figure out what else she could wear when Feng Qing called out, "Wait, President Qin, I found that outfit you bought for Chairman Ruan, the one by the closet. Why don’t you wear that for now?"
Qin Juran paused, remembering the outfit she had picked out at the fashion show, her brow furrowing. It was a gift for Ruan Nan, but right now, she just wanted to get dressed. "Bring it here."
Feng Qing happily agreed. "President Qin, the packaging is a bit tricky, I’ll unpack it in the living room.”
Ruan Nan's apartment was spacious. Feng Qing left the bathroom. The door was soundproof. After a while, there was a knock. Assuming it was Feng Qing, Qin Juran opened the door just enough to slip her arm through and take the clothes.
As she took them, she realized the slip was missing.
The outfit consisted of a silk chiffon blouse, incredibly sheer, and a pink, asymmetrical skirt made of ice silk. Under the warm yellow light, the skirt shimmered and flowed, accentuating the curves of Qin Juran's body.
Since Ruan Nan was smaller than Qin Juran, the skirt was tight around her waist. Without the slip, the nearly transparent blouse clung to her, her curves clearly visible, a tantalizing glimpse of skin.
Feng Qing, tactfully, seemed to have left after handing her the clothes. Qin Juran, her hair still damp, put on the outfit and, after a quick glance in the mirror, went to Ruan Nan’s bedroom.
She turned on the light and opened the closet.
All the clothes were there.
She let out a sigh of relief. As she turned around, she heard footsteps at the door.
Ruan Nan was back, leaning against the doorframe, admiring her.
Qin Juran instinctively covered herself, backing towards the bed. "Ah Ruan, when did you get back?"
"Just now."
Ruan Nan had been somewhere, but she had clearly been back to the apartment. She wore heavy makeup, her lips a bright red Qin Juran hadn’t seen in a while. She wore a tight, black, bodycon dress and the six-centimeter silver heels she’d worn back from abroad.
She held a paper bag in her hand as she walked towards Qin Juran.
The woman she had been searching for all day was now standing before her. Qin Juran, barefoot, her hair still damp, wearing that sheer outfit, felt her ears burning.
As Ruan Nan approached, Qin Juran backed away. "Ah Ruan, I’ll go and get changed…”
Ruan Nan gently pushed her shoulder, Qin Juran falling back onto the bed. Ruan Nan leaned over her, her hair cascading down. She looked at Qin Juran's chest. "You look good. Weren't you planning on having me wear this?"
Qin Juran paused. "Ah Ruan, I didn't mean anything by it. This outfit has a slip, it’s meant to be…”
Ruan Nan raised her chin, cutting her off. "It looks better like this."
Qin Juran looked at her, trying to change the subject. "Ah Ruan, where were you this afternoon? Why weren't you answering my calls?"
Ruan Nan didn't answer, her gaze fixed on Qin Juran.
Qin Juran sighed, taking her hand. "Ah Ruan, you always do this. You avoid me whenever something happens. Sometimes, facing things together is better than guessing and running away.”
"I don’t know if I’ll ever leave this world, for whatever reason, but Ah Ruan, I cherish every day we have together."
Ruan Nan looked at her, wearing that sheer outfit, lecturing her, this woman from another world, so unfamiliar, so proud, so brilliant, so utterly genuine.
Her eyelashes fluttered.
"You're right, so I didn’t avoid you."
"Then what were you doing this afternoon...?"
Ruan Nan held up the paper bag, pulling out a bottle of perfume in a gold case with a black cap. A white label on the bottle read:
"Gypsophila."
She opened the bottle and gently sprayed some on Qin Juran's neck.
A unique scent, a mix of freesia and a hint of lime, filled the air. Strange, yet pleasant, like a summer day when two young girls first met, a playful, carefree scent, like soda bubbles rising in their eyes.
"Qin Juran, when I was little, I heard a legend. It said that if you scent someone with a fragrance that belongs to both of you, they’ll never leave.”
"I don't want you to leave anymore.”
She looked at Qin Juran, her eyes as innocent and trusting as a child offering a candy in exchange for a lifelong friendship.
Qin Juran was speechless. "So you spent the whole afternoon looking for this perfume?"
Ruan Nan nodded. "I searched for a long time. And I had it engraved.”
Qin Juran looked at her, all her worries and anxieties melting away in the clear depths of Ruan Nan’s eyes.
She reached out, putting the perfume and bag aside, about to hug Ruan Nan, when Ruan Nan dodged her, pushing her onto the bed and straddling her, her high heels still on.
The light caught the fabric of her tight, black dress. Her gaze was unwavering.
"Qin Juran, didn’t you say a long time ago that you had no secrets from me?"
Qin Juran, still unaware of the danger of the situation, smiled. "I was afraid you wouldn't believe me, after all…”
"So you lied to me.”
"..."
"Yes."
"Do you remember what we agreed on, the punishment for lying?”
Ruan Nan smiled, reaching out to turn off the bedside lamp before Qin Juran could react.
Qin Juran was about to speak when Ruan Nan captured her lips with a demanding kiss.
One hand braced against the bed, the other reaching for the sheer silk of Qin Juran's blouse.
Even a five-figure designer outfit offered little protection without a slip. A soft moan escaped Qin Juran’s lips.
Ruan Nan kissed her deeper, leaving her breathless, her fingers moving skillfully, her long, smooth legs shifting restlessly.
President Qin’s carefully taught techniques, now mastered and surpassed by her student.
Qin Juran’s face flushed, the scent of the perfume filling her senses, making her weak and pliant.
"Ah Ruan, don't..."
Ruan Nan smiled, the words familiar. "Don't what? Don't stop?"
"Ah Ruan, you wouldn’t..."
Ruan Nan chuckled, her voice low and seductive against Qin Juran's ear. "I wouldn’t before. But President Qin has been teaching me for six months, hasn’t she?”
Before Qin Juran could retort, Ruan Nan continued, leaving no room for argument. "President Qin, since you said that from now on, you can be your true self—"
"Shouldn’t I give you a fresh start too?"
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