ORCBRB – Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Inside the luxurious private room, the music was deafening.
Su Ningyue was halfway through a sentence when Sang Shi'an's phone, sitting on the coffee table, rang. She answered it, said a few words about being out with friends, and then hung up.
Su Ningyue asked tentatively, "Was that Senior Jian?"
Sang Shi'an replied casually and with little patience, "Yeah. I forgot to say goodbye to them when I left the house."
She poured herself another half glass of whiskey. The beautiful, amber-colored liquid lingered on her lips. Dangling from her exposed earlobes were beautiful, extravagant diamond earrings that swayed gently with her nonchalant movements.
"Her engagement to my brother has been called off." Sang Shi'an raised a hand to greet a friend who had just entered, smiling as she accepted a birthday gift. Then, under Su Ningyue's astonished gaze, she revealed Jian Cenyu's purpose for calling. "But I overheard them talking. She probably wanted to explain."
Su Ningyue felt that something was off about Sang Shi'an's state and quickly pressed down on her glass. "Explain what?"
Sang Shi'an unwrapped the new gift box from her friend and smiled dismissively. "Who knows. Just think of it as... polite adult socializing. I stumbled upon it, so she and my brother had to offer some sort of explanation."
Su Ningyue didn't believe it was that simple. If it were, given Sang Shi'an's personality, she wouldn't be out partying with them tonight. She would have immediately gone to confess to Jian Cenyu, or brought her here directly.
"Little Sangsang, does this mean you can end that whole online dating thing with Senior Jian?" Su Ningyue slowly met Sang Shi'an's gaze and reasoned with her, "Since she's no longer engaged to your brother, you can come clean to her with your alternate account, right?"
Sang Shi'an reflexively wanted to deny it, but she opened her mouth and said nothing.
She picked up her glass and took a sip, her beautiful eyes betraying no emotion, as if she were drinking water.
After nearly three minutes, Sang Shi'an took another large gulp, emptying the glass. She wiped her mouth casually with her fingertips, her posture relaxed. "After seducing someone anonymously dressed like that, would you take the initiative to reveal your own identity?"
Su Ningyue hadn't expected Sang Shi'an to have so much pride.
Sang Shi'an opened WeChat and switched to her Kitty account. There was an unread message from Jian Cenyu. She glanced at it. After she had said she was going to the station to pick up her mom tonight, Jian Cenyu had asked if she needed help.
If she said yes, Jian Cenyu would come to the station, and they would naturally meet in person as Kitty. Perhaps... she would even take her to Universal Studios.
After all, her birthday didn't take up the amusement park's evening hours.
Based on what Jian Cenyu had said that morning, there should still be an evening session, right?
At this thought, Sang Shi'an suddenly found it hard to maintain her composure.
The embarrassment of being probed by Su Ningyue was nothing compared to the intense panic in her heart. Jian Cenyu had already made it clear to her brother that she wouldn't accept the arranged marriage. The Kitty account no longer needed to exist. She couldn't continue to experience a fake romance through the Kitty account as if nothing had happened.
Jian Cenyu liked the beautiful and well-behaved Kitty, who had loved her wholeheartedly from the start, not her, with her bad temper and ulterior motives from the very beginning.
Even if they were the same person.
Sang Shi'an thought that perhaps she had always been jealous of Kitty, jealous that Kitty could have the status of Jian Cenyu's girlfriend. But the pride she had cultivated since childhood also made her absolutely unwilling to play the part of Kitty, to become a fake substitute.
"You're right. Of course, I have to make it clear." Sang Shi'an composed herself and began typing on the keyboard.
[My mom wants me to take the civil service exam and go back home after I graduate. My hometown is too far from Yancheng. With only a few months left, I've thought about it for a long time. I can't hold you back, Jiejie. I think we should just call it quits.]
[Having you, even for a short time, has been the best memory of my university life. Please don't look for me, Jiejie. Just blame me for being selfish.]
[Jiejie, let's break up.]
Switching to the user profile, Sang Shi'an pressed her lips together tightly and, in one smooth motion, blocked and deleted her.
Then she placed her phone face down.
She thought, even if she forced the connection between herself and Kitty, Jian Cenyu wouldn't like her. Putting herself in the other's shoes, she would never forgive a liar.
She and Kitty were two completely different people. The night at Universal Studios, the heart-shaped circle of roses—even if Jian Cenyu wanted to meet Kitty for a date, she wouldn't be able to find her.
More and more people arrived in the private room, and the sounds of joyful roughhousing grew louder. Sang Shi'an couldn't stop a short sob from escaping, but it was drowned out by the music.
"Jian Cenyu probably wanted to meet Kitty today. She made a lot of preparations. She even took me to the amusement park during the day to familiarize herself with it, all to prepare for the night." Su Ningyue turned her head sharply to look at her, seeing Sang Shi'an let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"Jian Cenyu really likes Kitty. I'm the one involved, I can feel that affection, just like how I like her. Before she broke off the engagement with my brother, I thought I still had a chance. But today I realized it's already impossible."
The light in Sang Shi'an's eyes dimmed. "I hurt her using Kitty. What right do I have to tell her I like her again?"
Before Su Ningyue could speak, Sang Shi'an took a deep breath and added, "It's also a lie that I don't want to admit I'm Kitty. I'm nowhere near as carefree as I thought. Every time I get close to Jian Cenyu and she subtly pushes away my affectionate gestures, I desperately want to tell her that I am Kitty, the girlfriend she personally acknowledged. But in the next second, I'm defeated by the helpless gentleness she shows. The way she looks at me, she only sees me as a younger sister."
Su Ningyue couldn't help but want to argue, "Maybe you're mistaken? I don't think Senior Jian sees you as just a sister."
She had an older sister too. No one knew better than her the difference between how a sister looks at a younger sister and how she looks at a lover.
"Don't try to comfort me. I have no one else to say these things to, so I can only vent to you. Just listen to this nonsense and forget it." Sang Shi'an fell silent for a moment, then let out a short laugh.
The cold liquor went down her throat, making the corners of her eyes flush with a vibrant allure, as if even the lights favored her. She checked her makeup in her phone's reflection, then walked towards the dance floor where her friends were.
Su Ningyue followed. "Wait for me."
After midnight, as expected, Sang Shi'an was drunk.
Some of the friends she had invited were still in high school and didn't have the freedom of university students. People started leaving one by one, so they decided to call it a night.
Sang Shiyue had booked the room, so there was no need to pay. As Sang Shi'an reached the entrance, she saw her family's familiar driver. "Auntie Li?"
"Your brother asked me to deliver your birthday gift. I thought you might have been drinking and would need me, so I waited and didn't leave." The driver dangled the car keys. "I'll take you home, okay?"
Sang Shi'an's head was throbbing, so it was a relief not to have to call a taxi. She had intended to take Su Ningyue with her, but when she saw the car, her head started to hurt even more.
A pink Lamborghini. It really fit the judgment of an old man of Sang Shiyue's age about what little girls like.
She could only help Su Ningyue hail a cab first before leaving with the driver.
The club was far from her home, an hour's drive away. Just before the driver got on the elevated highway, Sang Shi'an suddenly remembered something and pointed in another direction. "Take me back to school. If I go home at this hour, I'll wake up my parents."
The driver agreed and changed direction.
As she rode the elevator up, the normally unnoticeable speed made Sang Shi'an feel a wave of dizziness. Her drunken gaze could barely maintain focus, but she couldn't stop the discomfort in her stomach, irritated by the alcohol.
When she opened the door, the living room lights were off. Sang Shi'an breathed a sigh of relief and slowly shuffled towards her room.
Where would Jian Cenyu be right now?
After seeing Kitty's breakup message, she wouldn't be drinking her sorrows away in some bar, would she?
Sang Shi'an was a little worried, but she decided to do something else first before contacting Jian Cenyu.
She had come back specifically to destroy the cosplay outfits Kitty had worn, to prevent Jian Cenyu from discovering them.
Sang Shi'an returned to her bedroom, closed the door, and began to tidy her walk-in closet.
All the clothes Kitty had worn were piled in the innermost corner. Each outfit was gorgeous, and each represented a night that belonged only to her and Jian Cenyu.
Sang Shi'an was dizzy, yet she could still recall Jian Cenyu's words and tone of voice from those times—the possessiveness and the desire that seeped through the screen, things she had never shown in front of her.
It was all an obsession with Kitty.
Hugging the clothes, Sang Shi'an rolled on the floor like a drunken kitten.
This was bad. She wanted to cry even more.
Just as Sang Shi'an was about to roll for a third time, there was a knock on her door. "An'an?"
Sang Shi'an was startled. In the instant the lock turned, she shot up from the floor and quickly threw the clothes under her into the wardrobe.
A second before Jian Cenyu's footsteps approached, Sang Shi'an closed the wardrobe door, her heart pounding so fast it felt like it would leap out of her throat.
"Are you organizing your wardrobe?" The heating was on in the room, so it wasn't cold. Jian Cenyu was wearing a light champagne-colored silk nightgown. The straps were rather long, revealing her fair and delicate collarbones. Her long hair was draped over her chest, covering the low neckline.
Sang Shi'an had a similar nightgown, one she had bought along with other things the last time she used Jian Cenyu's card. It had seemed like a perfectly normal dress then, but for some reason, the impact tonight was extremely strong.
Jian Cenyu had a set of clothes draped over her left arm. From the visible collar, it looked like a suit. Sang Shi'an's mind was completely occupied by the clothes in her wardrobe. She only glanced at Jian Cenyu's arm before forcing herself to remain calm. "I couldn't find the jacket to a set of pajamas. Why didn't you give me a heads-up before coming in?"
"I did knock, but I was worried you were drunk and couldn't open the door, so I took the liberty of coming in. I'm sorry." Jian Cenyu showed her the call log on her phone and explained, "Your family's driver must have reported to your brother after dropping you off. He just called me and asked me to check on you."
Jian Cenyu remained standing at the entrance of the walk-in closet, maintaining a relaxed distance of two or three meters from her. Sang Shi'an relaxed as well. "Oh, I see. Thanks for coming to check on me then."
"You're welcome." Jian Cenyu typed a few words on her phone, presumably contacting Sang Shiyue. But after sending the message, she didn't seem to have any intention of leaving. "Are you planning to sit on the floor all night?"
Sang Shi'an used the wardrobe to help herself up, carefully observing Jian Cenyu's expression. Strictly speaking, Jian Cenyu's mood should be similar to hers right now; they were both in the "just broke up" category.
Jian Cenyu placed the clothes she was holding on the center island and walked over to help Sang Shi'an. "In your garden today, did you overhear what your brother and I were talking about?"
Sang Shi'an's tense body relaxed upon hearing this question. She asked tentatively, "Was I supposed to hear it?"
Jian Cenyu was amused by her words and chuckled softly. "If you heard it, then your brother and I won't have to inform you again."
Her voice was soft, just like it had been at the amusement park during the day, so gentle it made one want to drown in it. Sang Shi'an nodded blankly and said, "I heard it."
Jian Cenyu: "Are you sure you heard clearly?"
Sang Shi'an nodded. "Yes, I heard everything clearly."
Jian Cenyu didn't say anything else, just looked at her, seemingly contemplating something.
Sang Shi'an didn't understand why she had to be asked if she heard clearly about something as simple as canceling an engagement. "When I walked over, you and my brother were talking about calling off the engagement."
She then recounted the rest of the conversation. "...and then my brother asked if it was because you had someone you liked. You said that person wasn't as mature or as steady as my brother. Then my phone rang, and I left because I didn't want to disturb you."
Actually, her phone hadn't rung. She had run off because she couldn't bear to hear that 'Kitty wasn't as mature and steady as her brother,' but there was no need to explain that to Jian Cenyu.
This time, Jian Cenyu's reaction was even stranger. She ruffled Sang Shi'an's hair as if in praise and smiled gently. "It seems you really did hear clearly."
Sang Shi'an: ?
As Jian Cenyu approached, Sang Shi'an only had to lower her eyes slightly to see the fair, smooth skin of her chest. She averted her gaze and struggled to make polite conversation. "You're so wonderful, you really don't need to settle for an arranged marriage. It's good that you've cleared the air."
Jian Cenyu lowered her hand. Awake in the middle of the night, she seemed particularly interested in this topic. "Oh? In what way am I wonderful?"
Sang Shi'an, thinking that Jian Cenyu might have seen the breakup message from Kitty and needed comforting, began to praise her. "You're wonderful in every way. You're beautiful, you have a great personality, you're highly educated and capable, and you don't mess around with people, which gives a great sense of security. Anyway, you're just a really, really wonderful person."
Jian Cenyu asked again, "Then what if one day you discover I'm not that wonderful, not the composed and steady older sister I appear to be? Would I still be wonderful then?"
Sang Shi'an: "Well, no one can stay calm all the time."
"That's not what I mean." Jian Cenyu shook her head. "For example, I'm not as detached as you all think. I care about money, so I forced my parents to choose between me and their relatives. I care about fame and fortune, so even though I studied finance at Yanjing University, I spent all my free time conducting experiments and publishing papers."
She paused, then looked at Sang Shi'an again. There was a deep meaning in her eyes, and the light that splashed into them was like a dark flame. "Similarly, in relationships, especially when dating, I think I'm far from my usual calm self—"
"Why are you telling me this?" Sang Shi'an interrupted hastily. She felt like she was sensing something, but when she tried to grasp it, it slipped away.
"I'm going to take a shower. You should go back to your room and sleep too."
Just as Sang Shi'an turned around, she felt a body press against her back. The skin that had just touched her was slightly cool, and Jian Cenyu's breath fell behind her ear.
"An'an, you have to listen."
The sudden deepness in her voice was unnerving. Sang Shi'an swallowed nervously, thinking to herself that she must have had too much to drink tonight.
How could she think this voice sounded so much like Jian Cenyu's during her video calls with Kitty?
Gentle yet forceful, it rooted her to the spot.
Sang Shi'an gave a nonchalant laugh and said, "Alright, alright, I'll listen. I'll take it as the lecture I deserve for coming home late. Go on, Cenyu Jiejie."
After a moment of silence, a soft laugh came from behind her, and the clear, elegant voice seemed to become even more distinct.
She felt Jian Cenyu lean closer, as if testing her. When she didn't immediately resist, an arm wrapped tightly around her waist.
In the brightly lit walk-in closet, the mirror reflected their intimate embrace.
Her voice sounded as if it was coming through a layer of gauze. "I hope you can get to know me better, and not just online."
Sang Shi'an's body suddenly tensed. The feeling of being held so tightly around her waist almost made it hard to breathe. In that moment, she wished more than anything that Jian Cenyu was talking about the Jian Corporation's profile online, or about her research achievements.
But things rarely go as one wishes.
"...My Kitty."
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