ORCBRB – Chapter 30
Chapter 30
“That’s what happened. I came over from the banquet, and I have something to get back to, so I'm leaving now.” After recounting the night's events, Sang Shiyue said goodbye to Jian Cenyu and left the hospital room directly.
It had to be said, Sang Shiyue knew Sang Shi'an extremely well.
A thousand lectures from Sang Shiyue probably wouldn't be as effective as recounting her 'glorious achievements' in front of Jian Cenyu just once. If he couldn't discipline her, he'd just hand her over to someone else.
Even if Jian Cenyu said nothing, just having it recounted in front of her was enough to make Sang Shi'an feel ashamed and learn her lesson.
The door to the hospital room closed, and the soft click of the lock was exceptionally clear.
After hearing Jian Zhiyan's speculation about the accident, Sang Shi'an had spent the entire day and night thinking about going after that scumbag Jian Zhenyang. Seeing Sang Shiyue at the police station, she felt guilty and wronged, like a child who lost a fight outside and ran home to complain.
But when facing Jian Cenyu, she felt shy and remorseful.
The tips of her ears had turned redder and redder during her brother's retelling and were still burning now. Her inner anxiety had nowhere to go. When Sang Shiyue had asked for her reason, she could tell the truth, but she absolutely could not admit it to Jian Cenyu.
This lesbian Jian Cenyu wanted to trick her brother into marriage and scheme for her family's assets; she would never stand up for her.
And yet, that was exactly what Sang Shi'an had done.
Before Jian Cenyu could speak, Sang Shi'an turned to flee. “I have class tomorrow morning, so I'll go back to sleep. I'll come back tomorrow at noon to…”
“An'an,” Jian Cenyu called out to her, her tone gentle. “Come here.”
Sang Shi'an hesitated for a moment before shuffling over slowly and standing by the hospital bed. “What is it?”
Her voice sounded a little impatient, but the upward lilt made it sound more like she was pouting.
Jian Cenyu beckoned again. “I have something for you. Come a little closer.”
Reluctantly, Sang Shi'an took a few more steps until she was beside Jian Cenyu. “What is it?”
Her eyes darted around, and her tone was impatient—a classic sign of a guilty conscience, just like when she was a child. Jian Cenyu watched her quietly for two seconds, then grabbed Sang Shi'an's hand and pulled her into an embrace.
Sang Shi'an stumbled onto the hospital bed. “What are you doing?”
Sensing the slight tremor in Sang Shi'an's shoulders, Jian Cenyu held her tighter and said, “Thank you.”
Sang Shi'an froze, realizing Jian Cenyu was thanking her for what she did tonight. She said magnanimously, “It's nothing. I was just getting rid of a public menace. Those two sen—”
Jian Cenyu interrupted her. “Thank you for protecting me, An'an.”
Her voice was very soft. Because of the close proximity of the hug, the sensation of her lips moving was clearly transmitted through the nerves around Sang Shi'an's ear. Sang Shi'an's words trailed off, and she only felt a strong tingling in her left ear.
It was a tingly, numbing sensation. Her already warm ear grew even hotter, and she suddenly lost all strength to argue, merely murmuring, “Mm.”
“It's been a long time since anyone has protected me like this,” Jian Cenyu's low voice sounded again, carrying a hint of loneliness in the large hospital room.
Sang Shi'an had enjoyed the feeling of being cherished by her family since she was a child. As the youngest member, she had felt perfectly justified in giving Sang Shiyue's number when the police asked for a family contact tonight.
It was a long-standing reliance and trust.
But when Jian Cenyu said, 'It's been a long time since anyone has protected me like this,' Sang Shi'an suddenly felt a strong urge to refute it.
But she quickly remembered Jian Cenyu's complicated family structure. Although her parents only had one daughter, they always prioritized the interests of the extended family. As a result, even with her father still in the CEO position, the younger members of the side branches of the Jian family dared to vie for power and profit.
And then there was what Sang Shiyue had told her just now when she got the evidence of Jian Zhenyang tampering with the lab—the Jian family would not provide the evidence.
For the sake of family harmony and the company's reputation, the Jian family would never expose this matter.
So, Jian Cenyu, who only seemed to have suffered scrapes, would not get the justice she deserved in this matter, just like the other innocent students who were implicated.
Even though Jian Cenyu knew who the culprit was.
Sang Shi'an lowered her eyes to the hospital gown Jian Cenyu was wearing and suddenly noticed that her shoulders were also slender. She was just a girl in her early twenties, not the invincibly composed person she usually appeared to be.
Coupled with that vulnerable statement, 'It's been a long time since anyone has protected me,' Sang Shi'an bit her lip, a sudden sourness welling up in her nose.
Since Jian Cenyu was so pitiful…
Then… then she would just let Jian Cenyu hug her for a little longer.
She gently patted Jian Cenyu's shoulder twice and said, “I got a recording of Jian Zhenyang admitting to the lab incident. But my brother said your Jian family probably won't provide the evidence to the university, so it can only be used as leverage. I'll send you a copy of the recording; you can use it as you see fit.”
Jian Cenyu responded with a soft hum.
Sang Shi'an added, “You have no idea, Jian Zhenyang's head was split open, and my brother pinned him to the ground and punched him many times. He won't be able to show his face in public for business meetings for at least three months.”
Jian Cenyu hummed again, her chin resting on Sang Shi'an's shoulder, rubbing against it almost imperceptibly.
Sang Shi'an felt a little ticklish and assumed it was just a strand of hair. After thinking for a few seconds, she found something else to say. “After I went back yesterday, I thought about it. I don't think Jian Zhenyang was trying to kill you. After all, the timing of the light fixture falling was too uncertain. Did he realize you were investigating him? About that reverse merger your assistant mentioned the other day. So he deliberately created some trouble for you to divert your attention?”
“Yes,” Jian Cenyu said.
Sang Shi'an had only been guessing and was surprised she was right. “Can I analyze this kind of corporate warfare off the cuff now?” she asked, delighted.
Jian Cenyu chuckled softly. “Yes, you can analyze corporate warfare and stand up for your Jiejie. An'an is so amazing.”
The words were so soft they were almost a whisper, spoken right next to Sang Shi'an's ear. A wave of heat started from her cheeks and spread throughout her body, nearly melting her.
But Jian Cenyu's embrace held her captive, leaving her nowhere to go and nowhere to hide.
Sang Shi'an finally realized this couldn't go on. She gave Jian Cenyu a little push and said, “Jian Cenyu—”
Jian Cenyu: “Hm?”
“Have you hugged me enough?” Sang Shi'an finally couldn't stand the heat anymore. She wriggled her shoulders and freed herself from Jian Cenyu's arms.
She had intended to tease Jian Cenyu for being more childish than her, but when she looked up, the gaze in those light amber eyes was so clear and gentle that her mind went blank.
“I…”
Sang Shi'an turned her head away and took out her phone, speaking quickly. “Um, I'll send you the recording.”
“No rush,” Jian Cenyu stopped her. “I can't use my phone for the next few days anyway.”
Sang Shi'an remembered that when she had brought the SIM card along with the meal the other day, she had heard about Jian Zhenyang and hastily left the food container behind. The SIM card was still in her other bag.
“Then I'll bring it to you tomorrow.”
“The university has already sent a notice. Anyone who wants to go back to campus can be discharged tomorrow, so you don't need to make a special trip.” Jian Cenyu paused for two seconds, then said thoughtfully, “Don't go yet. Your brother specifically brought you here. Should I give you a little lecture?”
Sang Shi'an's eyes widened. She angrily pushed Jian Cenyu's left shoulder. “I went out of my way to teach someone a lesson for you tonight, and you're going to give me a lecture? Jian Cenyu, can you be reasonable?”
Jian Cenyu seemed to be in an excellent mood tonight. She caught Sang Shi'an's hand and let out a couple of muffled laughs. “So An'an really did go out of her way to stand up for me?”
Sang Shi'an finally noticed the slip in her words and became flustered. “It was because of those two seniors in the ICU! Can't I just be a good Samaritan?”
Jian Cenyu was exasperated. “You're going to wake up the students in the next room.”
Sang Shi'an: “University students don't go to bed this early.”
“True, but it's already ten-thirty. You should just stay here for the night. The university has already allowed us to be discharged, and I plan to go back to class tomorrow morning. But my SIM card is still with you, so I can't use my money. It would be very inconvenient if I need to buy something or call a car,” Jian Cenyu explained. “It's a good thing you came tonight.”
Sang Shi'an felt it made sense but also that something was off. “So you're having me stay, but not to give me a lecture?”
Jian Cenyu: …
Jian Cenyu summoned all the patience she had and asked, “You've already helped me, why would I blame you?”
Sang Shi'an: “What about my brother?”
Jian Cenyu: “I won't make things difficult for you.”
With one worry settled, Sang Shi'an opened a disposable toiletries kit and went to the small bathroom. When she returned after washing up, she realized there was only one standard 1.2-meter-wide single bed in the room.
Sang Shi'an's reaction time was incredibly slow. Only then did she belatedly feel awkward, standing by the bed clutching her unhung jacket, not knowing what to do with her hands.
When Jian Cenyu finished making the bed and beckoned to her, Sang Shi'an subconsciously took half a step back, but Jian Cenyu grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the bed.
“What are you doing?” Jian Cenyu's gaze was slightly helpless. “How old are you? Still playing hide-and-seek before bed?”
“I-I'm a bad sleeper. I'll crush you.” Since they reunited, Sang Shi'an had slept with Jian Cenyu once, but that was when she was drunk, and it was on the two-meter-wide bed in Jian Cenyu's room.
The single bed in the hospital was completely different. It was a tight squeeze for two people to even lie flat. If she moved even slightly, she would probably touch Jian Cenyu, right?
Jian Cenyu directly pressed Sang Shi'an's shoulders down onto the bed and quickly covered them both with the blanket. “It's fine. My injury is on my right shoulder. You can sleep on my left.”
The lights in the room were turned off, leaving only a sliver of moonlight filtering in from the window. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Sang Shi'an stiffly turned her head to look at Jian Cenyu and found that she had already closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes rested on her eyelids, creating a very warm and peaceful feeling.
Sang Shi'an shifted slightly, trying to move back to give Jian Cenyu a little more space, so she wouldn't accidentally crush her in her sleep.
An inch, two inches.
The third time Sang Shi'an moved, Jian Cenyu turned on her side, reached out, and wrapped an arm around Sang Shi'an's waist, pulling her back. The distance Sang Shi'an had painstakingly created was forcefully reduced to negative.
“The bed is small. Be careful not to fall off.”
The arm Jian Cenyu was holding her with was her right arm, the injured one. Sang Shi'an immediately dared not move and mumbled a couple of responses.
They were both lying on their sides, facing each other, extremely close. Any closer, and Sang Shi'an could even hear Jian Cenyu's heartbeat.
The temperature under the covers grew higher and higher, and Sang Shi'an's face grew hotter and hotter. She wanted to pull away but didn't dare move because of Jian Cenyu's right arm.
After a few minutes, the hand she had given up struggling with started to go numb. Sang Shi'an tried to move it down, shifting it very lightly and slowly until the back of her hand felt a particularly soft touch.
At first, Sang Shi'an didn't realize what it was, thinking it was some kind of pillow on Jian Cenyu's bed. She kindly tried to move it away for her.
When her fingertips touched it, she felt the warmth beneath the fabric. Sang Shi'an sucked in a sharp breath, a burning heat rapidly climbing up her ears. She stared blankly as Jian Cenyu opened her eyes and looked at her.
She suddenly wondered, in a lesbian's perception, would this be considered taking liberties?
No, no, Sang Shi'an thought, this should be considered taking liberties with any girl.
So what should she say? “I'm sorry”?
Wouldn't that seem too deliberate?
But saying nothing didn't seem right either.
She said awkwardly to Jian Cenyu, “I thought it was some kind of pillow. Turns out it's… no wonder it's so soft.”
Jian Cenyu was completely at a loss with Sang Shi'an. She covered Sang Shi'an's eyes with her hand. Her voice was restrained and hoarse as she said, “Go to sleep.”
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