ORCBRB – Chapter 44

Chapter 44

For a moment, Sang Shi'an even thought she had drunk too much and was hallucinating.

What did Jian Cenyu just call her?

Kitty?

Jian Cenyu wasn't drunk, was she?

After meeting that pair of sated, pale, glass-like eyes in the mirror for a few moments, Sang Shi'an secretly pinched her thigh and then cautiously looked back at the mirror.

Jian Cenyu was still holding her.

And the color of her eyes was growing deeper.

It wasn't a hallucination.

The unusual post-drinking heat gradually dissipated from her body. Contrasted with her panicked pupils, the walk-in closet was terrifyingly quiet.

In this atmosphere, she was still being held intimately by Jian Cenyu, the warmth from every inch of her body transmitting over, making her entire body tingle. Even if Sang Shi'an's mind was sluggish from the alcohol, she could sense the danger now.

She instinctively stood up straight, no longer leaning softly against Jian Cenyu, trying to reduce their physical contact.

Sang Shi'an forced her brain to work, stumbling before she could even utter her first word. After meeting Jian Cenyu's profound gaze once more, Sang Shi'an seized the opportunity, pushed Jian Cenyu away with all her might, and ran towards the door.

Jian Cenyu was even faster in her pursuit. That well-defined, fair, and delicate hand wrapped around her waist again, just like the jungle vines she had mentioned during their video calls, wrapping tighter and tighter.

"What are you hiding from, Kitty?"

The tip of Jian Cenyu's nose gently brushed against the back of her neck.

"Why did you go out drinking again?"

Her voice was soft and low, a tingling sensation against the side of her neck that made one shiver. Sang Shi'an's eyelashes trembled even more violently.

Sang Shi'an could no longer pay attention to anything else Jian Cenyu was saying; her mind was completely filled with the fact that Jian Cenyu had called her Kitty.

Jian Cenyu already knew.

No wonder Jian Cenyu had returned to Zuo'an today, a Saturday.

No wonder Jian Cenyu could remain so calm after being broken up with.

Because Jian Cenyu already knew she was Kitty, already knew she had been deceived. But when did Jian Cenyu find out the truth?

Jian Cenyu hadn't shown any signs of abnormality before tonight. Could it have been after she said they should break up?

Had the Kitty account ever been linked to her real name? No, but WeChat now required real-name verification for almost everything. Jian Cenyu loved using lawyers; if she found a suitable reason to sue WeChat, she might actually be able to get her information.

Or perhaps she had let something slip tonight? But she couldn't recall what messages she had sent to Jian Cenyu or if she had done anything at her place that resembled Kitty's behavior.

She shrank back. Her mind seemed to have cleared a little, yet it also felt more sluggish. Looking at the subtly expressive Jian Cenyu in the mirror, she called out nervously, "Cenyu Jiejie?"

Calling someone 'Jiejie' for no reason meant you were either up to no good or had a guilty conscience.

Jian Cenyu loosened her grip slightly, turned Sang Shi'an around, and then pulled her back into an embrace.

They were of similar height, and now their slender bodies were held face-to-face, fitting together perfectly, extremely close.

The familiar, woody fragrance filled her senses. Jian Cenyu buried her head in the crook of her neck, her breath growing hotter.

Sang Shi'an stood stiffly, looking pitiful, not daring to move a muscle. She truly resembled a cat at someone's mercy.

"My earrings will poke you..."

A lightness on her ear; the magnificent diamond earrings were removed. Then Jian Cenyu embraced her again, holding her a little tighter.

Jian Cenyu held the person in her arms, finally getting her wish. The warmth emanating from Sang Shi'an, thread by thread, slowly soothed her tense nerves, finally calming the heart that had lost its rhythm upon seeing the word 'breakup'.

The hostility and unease wracking her body were driving her mad. She suppressed the urge to go find Sang Shi'an, letting her happily celebrate her birthday with her friends. She just waited quietly in this home.

Just when she was about to lose her patience, she received a call from Sang Shiyue, learning that Sang Shi'an was coming home. That nearly uncontrollable emotion was finally placated.

Jian Cenyu deeply inhaled Sang Shi'an's scent. The tip of her elegant nose slid up and down Sang Shi'an's neck. When her chin touched her collarbone, she clearly felt the person in her arms swallow nervously several times.

Jian Cenyu let out a low laugh.

It was a very pleased laugh.

But her laughter only made Sang Shi'an more nervous. She swallowed again. "You..."

"Don't move," Jian Cenyu said, pressing down on Sang Shi'an's waist in displeasure.

She continued to enjoy Sang Shi'an's soft embrace.

A few minutes later, perhaps because Jian Cenyu's actions were too intimate, Sang Shi'an thought that maybe the love-struck Jian Cenyu was currently only reveling in the joy of getting Kitty back and hadn't had time to ponder her motives for becoming Kitty.

That meant there was still a chance to make something up.

Sang Shi'an struggled a little, her face blushing, and said in a small voice, "Let go of me first. I think there's a misunderstanding between us."

Jian Cenyu seemed to guess her intention. "You want to say you're not Kitty, that someone just borrowed your WeChat account?"

Sang Shi'an was speechless.

So it really was a problem with the WeChat account.

Sang Shi'an's pretty little face wrinkled in distress. "I guess so."

"So, can we have a proper chat first?"

Jian Cenyu hesitated for a few seconds before letting her go.

Sang Shi'an immediately backed away, only to be grabbed by the collar and pulled back by Jian Cenyu. "We'll talk just like this."

Jian Cenyu's hand rested lightly on Sang Shi'an's waist. The distance was still very close; at least, Sang Shi'an felt that if Jian Cenyu flew into a rage and wanted to slap her, she definitely wouldn't be able to dodge it.

She tried to bargain with Jian Cenyu. "Do we have to be this close?"

"Just like this." Jian Cenyu gave her no chance.

As if resigned to her fate, Sang Shi'an hung her head. "That account is being used by a good friend of mine. She said she really likes you but didn't know how to approach you, so I helped her out."

"But I didn't expect her family to demand she go home and take the civil service exam right after graduation. It couldn't be helped, you know? So, please try to understand her, and don't ask me which friend it is. She feels really guilty too."

"Also..."

In the walk-in closet, Sang Shi'an's voice was intermittent as she lowered her head and fabricated a false story about a friend borrowing her WeChat account, not even daring to meet Jian Cenyu's eyes.

Her dress had been completely disheveled during their embrace. A peach-blossom-like blush colored her neckline, with a few strands of hair stuck to it. Her cheeks were flushed, and her half-bitten, half-pursed lips were also red. Only her eyes, when she inadvertently looked up, were moist and glistening, as if intentionally trying to seduce someone.

Yet Sang Shi'an herself was completely unaware, still stammering and trying to argue against an established fact.

Jian Cenyu took a deep breath, the depths of her eyes, which she had been trying hard to suppress, growing even darker. She reached out and cupped Sang Shi'an's chin, the pad of her thumb rubbing over Sang Shi'an's lips, pressing slightly, silencing her.

She gleaned one piece of information from Sang Shi'an's words. "So Kitty likes me that much."

Even in her drunken haze, Sang Shi'an felt that Jian Cenyu's words didn't mean the same thing as her explanation. So she hesitated with an "Ah?" and corrected, "The Kitty who sent you messages really does like you a lot."

Jian Cenyu released her, as if she had truly taken it in. "But why did she want to break up with me?"

Sang Shi'an patiently explained again, "Didn't she tell you? Because she's a senior this year, about to graduate, and her parents want her to go home and take the civil service exam."

But Jian Cenyu seemed lost in her own thoughts, shaking her head. "But we've known each other for two months. Even if she wanted to break up, she should have come to say goodbye in person, shouldn't she?"

Sang Shi'an actually felt that what she had done was rather inconsiderate. Seeing that Jian Cenyu seemed to believe Kitty was someone else, she took the initiative to agree with her. "Right? I also think what she did was pretty awful. But she liked you so much before, she must have had her reasons. You were the one in a relationship with her. If even you don't know, then I certainly wouldn't."

"Is it because she has other difficulties that she's unwilling to admit it?"

Sang Shi'an braced herself and said in a tiny voice, "Probably."

A lazy laugh came from above her head.

Then, the ten-centimeter distance that had been so hard to create was closed again. "Actually, I guessed it before I came."

Sang Shi'an asked, puzzled, "Guessed what?"

Jian Cenyu explained, "During my time with Kitty, we video-chatted for many, many nights. She's thin-skinned, so she'd definitely be too embarrassed to meet me in person, and thus unwilling to admit it."

Sang Shi'an fell silent.

One of the main reasons she had strictly separated herself from Kitty and refused to admit she was Kitty was indeed because of the clothes she had worn and the seductive gestures she had made for the camera.

Jian Cenyu turned around, picked up the outfit she had placed on the island counter when she came in, and said, "One time might not be enough to make up for all those times before, so I won't turn off the lights. You'll be able to see more clearly."

She took the suit and placed it in Sang Shi'an's arms first. "Hold this for me."

Sang Shi'an froze, still reeling from the shock that Jian Cenyu seemed to have identified her as Kitty. Then she saw Jian Cenyu raise her hand and flick the strap of her nightgown.

"You—"

Sang Shi'an's voice abruptly stopped, her gaze fixed on Jian Cenyu in panic and uncertainty.

The thin strap slid down to the middle of her arm, barely caught by her full chest. A large expanse of snow-white skin burst into view.

It was obvious that there was nothing worn underneath the nightgown.

Jian Cenyu swept her long hair to her back and asked softly, "You said before that you wanted to see me in a suit. If I change clothes honestly in front of you this one time, will you be more able to accept it?"

Sang Shi'an was stunned, her face full of disbelief. "Wait, Jian Cenyu! Don't move, don't move! Whatever you're doing, stop!"

"Do you need me to follow your commands? I can cooperate." Jian Cenyu placed her hand on the other remaining strap, asking Sang Shi'an in a way that didn't seem fake. "If you feel embarrassed, you don't have to worry about me and tell me to stop. Just watch."

Sang Shi'an: "I didn't—"

Jian Cenyu's expression was calm. Her long fingers hooked over her shoulder, as if manipulating a test tube in a lab. With a light lift of her fingertips, the strap tilted and slid down her arm, and she precisely heard the sound of the dress slipping.

In that instant, Sang Shi'an squeezed her eyes shut.

The suit in her hands fell to her feet.

The cut of this nightgown was very form-fitting; the top part should only slide down to her waist. She tremblingly reached out her hands and felt Jian Cenyu's waist, and sure enough, she touched the bunched-up fabric.

Between pulling Jian Cenyu's dress back up and running away, Sang Shi'an made her choice almost without thinking, turning to flee once more.

But Jian Cenyu, who had seemed relaxed, appeared to have anticipated her move. Sang Shi'an's wrist was grabbed, and she was spun around and lifted onto the island counter.

A moist sound licked past her ear. "Do I have to lock you up to make you behave?"

The voice pierced straight to her heart, causing Sang Shi'an to briefly open her eyes. Her gaze fell upon a seductive red, and the surrounding cool, white skin was also tinged with a faint pink. For a moment, all the most brilliant diamonds in the walk-in closet paled in comparison.

Sang Shi'an quickly closed her eyes again, a sheen of moisture beginning to form on her trembling eyelashes.

She heard the sound of a foot lifting and then landing.

The nightgown slipped completely to the floor. This time, Jian Cenyu was truly being honest with her.

"Kitty, if you have no objections, I'll change my clothes now?" Jian Cenyu's breath grew progressively hotter.

Sang Shi'an's back was tense. The rustling of clothes came from the floor, along with Jian Cenyu's every barely perceptible breath.

Jian Cenyu seemed to have picked up the shirt, and her hand covered the back of Sang Shi'an's. "If you don't open your eyes, I'll continue?"

For a moment, Sang Shi'an was speechless. "Hurry up and—"

"Alright."

Jian Cenyu's legs pressed against Sang Shi'an's knees. The sound of fabric being unfolded and then brushing against Sang Shi'an went on for a long time.

Sang Shi'an never knew it took so long to put on a shirt.

Jian Cenyu's movements were actually very fast, but Sang Shi'an could precisely distinguish the sound of each button being fastened.

Sang Shi'an never opened her eyes. She could feel Jian Cenyu's scorching body temperature and the searing heat from her legs pressed against hers.

Only when the top button was fastened, tightly wrapping all the skin within, and Jian Cenyu had put on the suit jacket and pants, did she say in a hoarse voice, "Open your eyes."

Sang Shi'an slowly opened her eyes, her gaze landing right on Jian Cenyu's chest. The white shirt concealed everything, yet it couldn't hide those two seductive red marks.

Sang Shi'an's forehead was covered in fine sweat, and the stray hairs around her face were all stuck to it, making her look as if she had been thoroughly bullied. The voice that came out carried a sob. "The suit... button it up too."

Jian Cenyu's nimble fingers fastened the buttons of the jacket. Finally, she looked impeccably proper, without a single flaw.

The tears welling in her eyes finally rolled down. Sang Shi'an slumped onto the island counter as if all her strength had left her, wiping her eyes fiercely.

She no longer cared about her makeup, which she usually prized the most.

Jian Cenyu stood before her, impeccably dressed, her posture elegant and composed. If not for the lingering pink on her neck, Sang Shi'an would have suspected that the entire changing scene had been her own illusion.

Picking up the nightgown from the floor, Jian Cenyu folded it three times and carefully placed it on a nearby sofa before calmly raising her eyes to look at Sang Shi'an.

Sang Shi'an's eyes were extremely red. She propped herself up on the island counter, her glare both fierce and delicate. "Jian Cenyu, are you crazy?"

Jian Cenyu stared at her for a moment, then took a step forward, squeezing her leg between Sang Shi'an's, and reached out to tidy her stray hairs.

The pad of her finger gently brushed past the corner of her eye. "As long as you don't hide from me, anything is fine."

The scolding words Sang Shi'an was about to say died on her lips. She bit down fiercely on Jian Cenyu's hand.

Jian Cenyu's brow tightened, but she didn't move, letting Sang Shi'an vent her dissatisfaction. Her lowered gaze remained fixed on Sang Shi'an's face, allowing her to let it all out.

Only when her tongue tasted a faint trace of blood did Sang Shi'an pause for a moment, release her teeth, and let out a heavy breath. The alcohol had almost completely worn off. "So you didn't believe a word I said just now."

Jian Cenyu: "You are Kitty."

Sang Shi'an closed her eyes, realizing she truly had no way out. As if surrendering to Jian Cenyu, and also to herself, she said, "Yes, I am Kitty."

"I was the one who deliberately seduced you into an online relationship. I had ulterior motives."

"I hated you so much."

"At the start of the semester, you stopped me from touching your suitcase, saying you had a special preference. I didn't understand, so I searched for it on foreign websites. There was so much matching content on those sites, even thousands of types for murder and arson. I had nightmares for two whole months."

"Later, I borrowed your computer and found your search history." After realizing she had fallen for Jian Cenyu, Sang Shi'an had always wanted to deny her past attitude towards Jian Cenyu and the things she had done to her.

The moment she admitted to being Kitty, these things were naturally brought up. She found that it wasn't as difficult as she had thought.

It was just a matter of shattering Jian Cenyu's impression of her, of making Jian Cenyu completely disappointed in her.

In any case, once Jian Cenyu's heated mind cooled down, when the sun rose as usual tomorrow, Jian Cenyu would think of these things anyway.

So it was better for her to say it herself.

"...And that was when I discovered your sexual orientation—you like girls."

"But by then, I had already agreed to pretend to be a couple with you. I couldn't break the promise, but I couldn't stop caring about it in my heart."

"Later on, our families proposed the idea of you marrying my brother. I'm sorry, I really couldn't watch my brother be kept in the dark and marry you, but I didn't want to expose it to your face and hurt you, so..."

"So you pretended to be Kitty and started a relationship with me, hoping I would take the initiative to refuse the marriage to your brother," Jian Cenyu finished her sentence, seeming to have anticipated it.

"And tonight, I refused your brother, so Kitty's mission was complete. That's why you made up the excuse of going home for the civil service exam, hoping to lessen the harm to me."

Just listening to it, Sang Shi'an felt that she, who had played with someone's feelings, was utterly despicable. "I... I've never liked anyone before, and I didn't expect you to like Kitty so much. I thought it was a very simple matter. I apologize to you. You can yell at me, hit me, or ask for compensation, whatever you want."

Her voice was tinged with sobs again. Sang Shi'an thought, this time, Jian Cenyu would really never forgive her.

"Did you think I was changing in front of you just now to get even with you?" The pad of Jian Cenyu's finger brushed past the corner of Sang Shi'an's eye. "It was indeed for the dresses you wore for me on those nights, but it wasn't to get even, nor was it compensation."

She paused, as if searching for the right words.

"I thought you would like it. I'd prefer to define it as—a reward."

Jian Cenyu leaned in and took Sang Shi'an's hand.

Sang Shi'an's eyes met Jian Cenyu's directly. As that breath swirled around her, she had the fleeting illusion that she might drown in Jian Cenyu's eyes.

She felt the pad of Jian Cenyu's thumb caress the back of her hand, raising a faint itch.

Sang Shi'an suddenly felt as if she were still drunk.

Otherwise, how could she not understand what Jian Cenyu was saying?

"A reward?" she asked sluggishly. "You're not angry with me?"

Jian Cenyu shook her head. "No. Kitty is over."

Sang Shi'an vaguely sensed something.

Kitty was over, yet Jian Cenyu still came to find her.

So perhaps Jian Cenyu truly didn't care.

But she had treated Jian Cenyu with such malicious deception at the beginning. Could she really not care about that either?

Could it be that Jian Cenyu liked her?

That after discovering she was Kitty, she had transferred all her feelings for Kitty onto her?

"Jian Cenyu, how can you not be angry with me? Didn't you hear what I just said? I did it on purpose. I just didn't want you to hurt my brother. I wanted to stop you from a sham marriage, I—"

Her lips were sealed.

Jian Cenyu kissed her.

Forcefully, resolutely, gently, lingeringly, she kissed her.

Sang Shi'an's pupils contracted violently. Her hands, propped on the island counter, tensed instantly, and her rigid body was enveloped inch by inch into Jian Cenyu's embrace.

Her dry lips became moist, completely different from the accidental kiss when Sang Shi'an had been testing Jian Cenyu before. The tip of Jian Cenyu's tongue pried open her tightly clenched teeth, gently stroking every inch before coaxing her to turn and move with it.

Sang Shi'an instinctively wanted to respond, but reason made her want to flee. Her eyes quickly filled with moisture again, her vision blurring. Jian Cenyu's legs wedged in, holding her tightly. As their chests pressed together, she could feel the hard suit buttons between them.

Their intertwined breaths made the air thick and sticky. Sang Shi'an opened her mouth to say something, only to be forcefully pushed back by Jian Cenyu.

Her whole body was on fire. For Sang Shi'an, who had never been kissed before, this kiss was too much. She could barely breathe. Jian Cenyu's kiss gradually took over all her reason, and she could only let out a few weak, overwhelmed gasps, which were quickly swallowed by Jian Cenyu.

"Kitty was supposed to end. I came looking for you tonight, Sang Shi'an." Just as Sang Shi'an was about to run out of oxygen, Jian Cenyu finally released her. Her moist voice was husky and exceptionally gentle.

"I hope your understanding of me doesn't just come from the internet."

Sang Shi'an was now too scared to move, only belatedly understanding the meaning of what Jian Cenyu had said at the beginning.

A faint smile touched the corners of Jian Cenyu's lips as she asked gently, "Now, do you understand me a little better?"

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