ORCBRB – Chapter 89
Chapter 89
“So excited to see me?” After the kiss, Jian Cenyu held Sang Shi'an and chuckled beside her ear.
Sang Shi'an nuzzled Jian Cenyu’s shoulder, then let go. “Didn’t you say you had to retest the new drug at the end of the month? I almost didn’t make it in time to pick you up today.”
“The flight from Australia to the US is fifteen hours. I told you so far in advance, how could you not have time?”
“I was visiting a wealthy white lady at her hotel. She’s much easier to get along with than I expected.”
Jian Cenyu let out a displeased “Hm?” and turned her head to size up Sang Shi'an.
Sang Shi'an was doing it on purpose. She pushed Jian Cenyu against the wall around the corner, threw herself onto her, and giggled as she wrapped her arms around her neck. “Jian Cenyu, she’s a major client of mine, from a family that can directly manipulate grain prices in the US. I was so unmoved that I rescheduled our next meeting. For being so self-aware, don’t you think you should kiss me again?”
Jian Cenyu pressed the back of Sang Shi'an’s neck, pushing her forward. Their lips met and parted in an instant. “I’ll have to inspect you first to know.”
Sang Shi'an almost immediately guessed what kind of ‘inspection’ she meant. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she chased after her. “Jian Cenyu! I should record you like this and expose you, let everyone in your lab see what you're really like under that cold exterior!”
Jian Cenyu looked back at her. “You said it yourself, the lab.”
The implication was clear: here, there was no need to wear a lab coat to disguise her true nature.
Sang Shi'an huffed and walked ahead of Jian Cenyu. After just a few steps, Jian Cenyu took her hand, and she didn’t look back.
Harvard University was in the next city, so it wasn’t realistic to go home this late. Besides, she had already asked someone to cover her classes for the next morning, so how could she waste such a beautiful night?
The two were always in sync on such matters. They hit it off and booked a room at a hotel near the airport.
Before they could even turn on the lights after entering the room, Sang Shi'an was pushed against the wall by Jian Cenyu. Her chin was held as she was kissed forcefully. The scent of mint liqueur filled her mouth, and Sang Shi'an asked indistinctly, “Did you drink on the plane?”
“Yes, just a little,” Jian Cenyu said.
The complete darkness was perfect for intimate activities. Sang Shi'an couldn’t resist kissing Jian Cenyu again. Amidst soft gasps and breaths, they ruffled each other’s clothes.
Jian Cenyu panted and asked, “Right away?”
“Go take a shower.” Sang Shi'an bit Jian Cenyu’s lower lip. “People who work in labs are very particular about cleanliness.”
Jian Cenyu smiled, her voice low and deep. “I haven’t seen you in half a month. I missed you.”
Jian Cenyu was always direct and open about her feelings, never one for subtlety, even if it made her seem like a completely different person from her usual image.
But this version of Jian Cenyu was for Sang Shi'an’s eyes only. A continuous warmth welled up from the bottom of Sang Shi'an’s heart. “Say it again.”
Her voice was even lower. “Say it again, and I’ll tell you a secret later.”
Jian Cenyu pressed closer, her calm demeanor suppressing her panting breaths. “An'an, I miss you so much.”
The intense kissing became unstoppable. Sang Shi'an hooked one arm around Jian Cenyu’s shoulder while her other hand fumbled for the light switch.
Click—
The room lit up, pointing the way to the bathroom. They kissed as they walked towards it, the lingering kisses nearly stealing all their breath.
The stream of water from the showerhead fell, soaking their clothes. Steam fogged up the translucent glass door. Their lips ground against each other, and they gradually became breathless, yet still unsatisfied with the current state of affairs.
Sang Shi'an’s hand traveled down from Jian Cenyu’s shoulder until it reached her heart, feeling the increasingly rapid beat. The sensation in her palm was something she craved immensely.
Jian Cenyu bit her lip, unable to bear it. “Didn’t you just say you were going to tell me a secret?”
Sang Shi'an let out a low laugh. Her back was against the glass door, her head tilted back slightly, exposing her fragile, fair neck. “I was lying. You believe the things I say to coax you?”
Jian Cenyu’s hand pinched a sensitive spot on Sang Shi'an’s side. “Lying to me?”
“Hahaha, okay, okay, I’ll tell you, my good Jiejie… Mmm! Don’t, don’t touch there! I can’t take it.” Sang Shi'an placatingly kissed Jian Cenyu’s cheek. The feeling of wet clothes clinging to her body was uncomfortable, making her feel stuffy all over, as if her body’s restlessness was trapped inside.
“After your call last night, I missed you so much that I tried for an hour but couldn’t finish. It just ended up hurting.”
Her soft, sweet voice carried through the sound of the running water, faint and indistinct, as if veiled by a layer of gauze. Jian Cenyu’s breathing hitched, and when she looked up again, her expression had completely changed.
Yet Sang Shi'an continued to provoke her, oblivious to the danger. “My body’s been spoiled by you, it’s so annoying.”
The rising inflection of her voice was cut off by a sudden kiss. Jian Cenyu’s hand slipped inside Sang Shi'an’s shirt, her scorching palm pressing against her skin. “I’ll help you.”
Their soaked clothes were finally tossed outside the glass door. The standing position was particularly torturous, but Sang Shi'an liked it, especially watching Jian Cenyu’s uncontrollable state when she was teased and captivated by her.
Sang Shi'an mimicked Jian Cenyu’s actions and helped her as well. The physical sensation was far less gratifying than the pleasure of seeing the other person lost in the moment. The separation between north and south could be slightly alleviated through contact on social media, but it was no match for the reality of being able to touch and feel.
Only at times like this, when Jian Cenyu’s every breath was tinged with her own scent, did Sang Shi'an feel that Jian Cenyu truly belonged to her.
Sang Shi'an’s breathing grew rapid. Unable to take it anymore, she turned her head to gasp for air. It was impossible to tell if the fine beads of moisture on her forehead were from the shower or her own sweat. Jian Cenyu lowered her head and kissed her unguarded collarbone, moving down bit by bit, sucking out red marks, each one deeper than the last.
Jian Cenyu’s actions made Sang Shi'an’s shoulders tremble with excitement. Her legs leaned forward, unconsciously rubbing against Jian Cenyu’s, as if urging her on. “Jian Cenyu…”
“Hm?” Jian Cenyu’s clear voice was laced with desire, adding a touch of laziness that made Sang Shi'an’s heart itch unbearably, causing her to lose almost all her inhibitions.
Her trembling legs under the shower grew redder and redder. Finally, just as Sang Shi'an completely lost herself, Jian Cenyu turned off the water and carried her to the bed.
Watching Jian Cenyu move on top of her, Sang Shi'an remembered how her fingers had lost their strength halfway through and she hadn’t been able to finish helping Jian Cenyu. She felt a little embarrassed. “Um… let me help you…”
“I’d rather not end up sore like you,” Jian Cenyu whispered, nibbling on Sang Shi'an’s ear. She grasped Sang Shi'an’s leg and adjusted her into a position she liked.
Some things were better left for her to do herself.
Sang Shi'an couldn’t bear to hear such words right now. Shyly, she had just raised her arm to cover her eyes when she felt her waist being tightly encircled. Their heated breaths tangled together, and their soft lips gradually lost their shape. When they had first returned to the bedroom, they were merely flushed, but as time passed, they turned into a glistening, watery red that spread all the way to the corners of her eyes, blooming into a beautiful, vibrant color.
“What client did you see before coming to pick me up?”
Sang Shi'an’s wandering thoughts were violently pulled back. Jian Cenyu’s long hair gently swept across her chest with her movements, tickling her. Sang Shi'an was about to be driven to collapse by her torment. With tears in her eyes, Jian Cenyu was forced to speak in a trembling voice, “Mrs.… Mrs. Smith.”
“Oh, a female client?” Jian Cenyu pushed Sang Shi'an’s hips higher, grinding against her forcefully again and again. Soon, Sang Shi'an couldn’t even form a complete sentence.
Jian Cenyu slowed her movements slightly and asked again, “Why aren’t you talking?”
“She… she likes men! She likes men, sob—” Sang Shi'an’s sluggish brain worked rapidly to produce this life-saving excuse. “And she’s two decades older than me. I… I don’t like that.”
Jian Cenyu wasn’t really interrogating her. She just enjoyed asking Sang Shi'an about her proper work during moments like this, watching her struggle and look embarrassed.
Satisfied, Jian Cenyu gave Sang Shi'an a kiss and asked, “Running out of stamina, are we? Should we take a break?”
No.
Sang Shi'an was about to reach the edge, but she couldn’t say it.
In bed, Jian Cenyu’s gentleness was cloaked in a layer of dominance. She did whatever she wanted, and Sang Shi'an’s opinion had little effect.
The feeling of being forcibly pulled back to reality was awful. Jian Cenyu helped Sang Shi'an sit up, gently pressing her head down towards her abdomen. “An'an, be good.”
Sang Shi'an’s entire body was burning up, but she obediently lowered her head, her lips and tongue working diligently. Jian Cenyu was clearly extremely aroused as well. Not even half a minute passed before the hand caressing the back of Sang Shi'an’s neck slid down limply.
During the refractory period, Sang Shi'an mischievously revealed the tip of her teeth and bit down.
Jian Cenyu’s breath hitched. “An'an…”
Sang Shi'an pushed her luck, taking advantage of Jian Cenyu’s need to rest, feeling fearless. Unexpectedly, Jian Cenyu suddenly flipped over and pressed down on her again.
The overly vigorous movement pushed Sang Shi'an directly to the peak of her excitement. When it was finally over, Sang Shi'an felt like her lower body was completely numb.
Jian Cenyu went to shower first.
Before she left, she took the thin, completely soaked blanket that had been under them and had Sang Shi'an lie on the sheet. Jian Cenyu looked at Sang Shi'an and suddenly said, “An'an, cover yourself. Don’t get it dirty again. It’s a hassle to call room service this late at night.”
Sang Shi'an couldn’t see the state of things beneath her. Hearing Jian Cenyu’s words, she covered herself with her hand and found that it was indeed still wet. Coupled with the fact that they had just been playing around a bit too much, she believed she would indeed soil the sheets.
As Jian Cenyu got out of bed, she emphasized, “The tissues in the room are a bit rough. I’ll go to the bathroom and find some disposable wet wipes or something for you. Just bear with it and don’t move, or the quilt will get wet again.”
Sang Shi'an was speechless.
After Jian Cenyu left, Sang Shi'an did wonder if it was true, but her hand was indeed wet. Because of what had just happened and Jian Cenyu’s words, her extremely shy body had an uncontrollable physiological reaction. She could only press her hand down harder, even using her fingers to plug the source.
They had checked into the hotel room on the spur of the moment, so it wasn’t very large. Though it was only a few steps away, Jian Cenyu was gone for a long time.
Every second of waiting was excruciating. Sang Shi'an’s legs tensed up, and she didn’t dare to move, gradually starting to tremble.
So, when Jian Cenyu returned, she was greeted by the sight of Sang Shi'an curled up, hands clamped down tightly, her whole body shaking. Her fair skin was flushed and covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Only the tips of her fingers were visible. Because she had been holding the same position without moving, Sang Shi'an let out a few muffled groans of discomfort, the visible part of her face filled with an unbearable emotion.
Jian Cenyu’s heart skipped a beat, her emotions in extreme turmoil. She quickly walked to the bedside. Before Sang Shi'an could look up and complain, she pressed down on Sang Shi'an’s hand and pulled it away forcefully. Caught off guard, a thin, glistening thread was drawn out from Sang Shi'an’s fingertips, and evidence was quickly left on the bedsheet.
Sang Shi'an had no time to stop it. “Hey, don’t—”
Noticing Jian Cenyu’s scorching gaze, Sang Shi'an’s stalled brain finally realized: she had been tricked.
In the midst of her pushing, Jian Cenyu had already pressed down, kissing her and saying with a laugh, “An'an, how can you be so cute?”
Sang Shi'an gave her a shove, but couldn’t move her, and was forced into a new wave of passion.
After they both showered, Sang Shi'an lay in Jian Cenyu’s arms, letting her blow-dry her hair. She squinted, playing with Jian Cenyu’s damp hair, and mischievously took a strand to gently brush against Jian Cenyu’s collarbone.
It was a little itchy and a little cool. Jian Cenyu merely glanced down before continuing to dry Sang Shi'an’s hair.
Sang Shi'an said sullenly, “I have classes for the next few days, so I have to be at school during the day.”
Jian Cenyu: “Mm.”
Sang Shi'an’s heart sank. “You knew that and still chose to come at this time?”
“Can’t get enough of me, huh?” A smile appeared in Jian Cenyu’s eyes. “I brought something with me this time. I need to see a professor at your university.”
In the span of a year, Jian Corporation’s pharmaceutical reform had already reached its third phase, and Jian Cenyu’s research on the anti-cancer drug had undergone its fifth-generation innovation.
“But I only need two days to see her. My return flight is in ten days. I’m mainly here to serve my girlfriend.”
Sang Shi'an was speechless.
Sang Shi'an turned her head, got up from Jian Cenyu’s lap, and instructed her to dry her own hair.
Jian Cenyu pulled Sang Shi'an back, holding her in her arms again, then turned on the hairdryer. As the warm air blew on her scalp, Jian Cenyu’s thoughts began to drift.
The accident at the board meeting last year, Sang Shi'an being taken away, their parents from both sides suddenly accepting their coming out, and the ever-increasing public opinion. Even though a full year and a half had passed, the memory still sent a shiver down her spine.
Jian Cenyu admitted to herself that she was actually a person who was quite indifferent to relationships. Compared to Sang Shi'an’s social circle, the number of friends Jian Cenyu had growing up was pitifully small. So many people had approached her because of her looks or family background, but without exception, they had all disappeared into the gray memories of the past, not even as colorful as chemical reagents.
This also made her care even more for the people she did accept. Every change in Sang Shi'an since she went abroad was clearly imprinted in Jian Cenyu’s eyes, especially the times she was forced to grow up in a foreign country.
Jian Cenyu had also thought that if Sang Shi'an hadn’t appeared at the shareholders' meeting, if Jian Zhenyang had won the vote, perhaps they wouldn’t have had to be separated by such a great distance. Sang Shi'an wouldn’t have had to work so hard; she should have had a carefree and smooth life.
At this thought, Jian Cenyu turned off the hairdryer, lowered her head, and slowly pressed her cheek against Sang Shi'an’s. In an extremely gentle and regretful voice, she whispered, “If only I had been a bit more cautious back then, if I had gone to Director Lin and Director Xu before the shareholders' meeting, I would have known that Jian Zhenyang already had evidence of our relationship.”
“I could have stopped you from going to the shareholders' meeting.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Sang Shi'an’s hand, which was scrolling through her phone, tightened abruptly.
After a long moment, she adjusted her posture, turned to face Jian Cenyu, and hugged her. Their foreheads touched, and in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper, she said with a smile, “Then my thoughts are the exact opposite of yours.”
“When I was locked in the interrogation room, being repeatedly asked the same questions, I was thinking—thank goodness it was me who was taken in.”
Their eyes met. Everything around them seemed to disappear, leaving only each other.
When Sang Shi'an woke up the next day, Jian Cenyu was already up, sitting at the desk by the bed and using her laptop. Sang Shi'an stretched, threw off the covers, and got out of bed. She saw the screen filled with dense English text.
Even after studying abroad for a year and a half, Sang Shi'an still kept a respectful distance from Jian Cenyu’s English documents.
After all, there was a world of difference between studying finance and studying chemistry. The only time they intersected was when chemical reagents were used for business transactions.
Jian Cenyu wrapped an arm around Sang Shi'an’s waist and gestured. “Go wash up, then we’ll go out for breakfast.”
It was already past nine in the morning when they left the hotel. New York’s business district also had a morning rush hour. Sang Shi'an drove slowly, suddenly remembering what Jian Cenyu had said about meeting a professor from her university.
“What day is your appointment with the professor from my school?”
Jian Cenyu’s gaze shifted from the window. She turned and said, “Tomorrow at eight in the morning.”
Sang Shi'an had to go back to school for class anyway, so they could go together. She asked again, “Another one who wants to collaborate on research?”
After all, for the past year, whenever a reputable American professor showed interest in Jian Cenyu’s research, Jian Cenyu would show them the courtesy of flying over from Australia personally.
At first, those professors all thought Jian Cenyu was making a friendly gesture, but after sitting down with her, they would talk until they were blue in the face, yet Jian Cenyu remained unmoved.
This time, however, Jian Cenyu shook her head. She said, “Professor Weir asked to see me because she wants to invite me to give a lecture.”
At times like these, Sang Shi'an had to admit that there was a real gap between people. Logically speaking, she was a student at Yanjing University in China, and now she was at a top-tier university in the US, interning at a top investment bank. Her resume was impressive anywhere.
But compared to Jian Cenyu, who had published who knows how many more top-journal papers in the past year and whose research had even been nominated for numerous world-class awards, she suddenly felt ashamed.
The difficulty in eliminating cancer cells lies in their ‘disguise.’ They masquerade as normal cells to evade the body’s immune system. The reason common chemotherapy is so damaging to the body is that it cannot distinguish between healthy cells and cancerous ones, clearing them out indiscriminately.
This makes it difficult for many people with low immunity or older individuals to undergo traditional chemotherapy.
The drug Jian Cenyu was researching wasn’t a panacea. Instead, it worked by extracting diseased cancer cells from the body and mixing them with a special agent to mark all similar diseased cells in the body. This marker was then integrated into the developed drug to achieve a thorough cleanup.
The limitation was that it was one drug per person, and it could clear fifty percent of malignant cancer cells in three months. However, the practical application was not as troublesome as it sounded in theory. The lab in Australia now had a complete set of pharmaceutical procedures, and the speed of preparing the medication was more time-efficient than surgery.
Sang Shi'an sighed, “Should I also brush up on my knowledge of pharmaceuticals? Especially those reports from your lab. When can you organize a copy for me? Otherwise, when I go out with you and don’t know anything, won’t I look really embarrassing?”
Jian Cenyu let out a low chuckle and said, “You could also think about it from another perspective.”
Sang Shi'an: “What perspective?”
Jian Cenyu said, “You don’t understand pharmacology, and you drive me around to social events in a luxury car. People will just think I took a shortcut at a young age.”
Sang Shi'an was speechless.
Sang Shi'an asked, “You’re not going to explain?”
Jian Cenyu found it strange. “Why should I explain?”
She pinched Sang Shi'an’s delicate cheek. “I have a young, beautiful, and wealthy girlfriend. What is there to explain?”
Abroad, people didn’t care about homosexuality, especially in the research circles Jian Cenyu was in, where people were very progressive.
Sang Shi'an was at a loss for words. “But you should still explain a little, right? This kind of gossip spreads like wildfire. Who knows what it’ll turn into by the time it gets passed around.”
Jian Cenyu actually didn’t think it was a bad thing. She said lazily, “No matter what version of the story spreads, it’ll be a version where I’m not single.”
Sang Shi'an was stunned. She hadn’t expected this to be Jian Cenyu’s plan. She could barely suppress the smile on her lips. “Isn’t that a bit unfair to you?”
“Not at all.”
Seeing that Sang Shi'an had taken the bait, Jian Cenyu leaned in and deliberately teased her. “Miss Sang, please dote on me more.”
Sang Shi'an lowered the temperature in the car by a few degrees, but she still couldn’t handle being teased by this vixen in human skin.
While stopped at a traffic light, she shot a fierce glare at her. “Behave yourself!”
Jian Cenyu was docile. “Okay.”
The result of Jian Cenyu’s compliance was being dragged by Sang Shi'an to a chain restaurant early in the morning, where she ordered a large platter of fried chicken and coke for breakfast.
Jian Cenyu used a straw to poke through the types of fried food in the chicken box, frowning. In the end, she only picked out an egg tart and didn’t touch anything else.
“Don’t tell me you eat this kind of food every morning?”
Sang Shi'an expertly picked up a chicken wing and searched for a straw for her coke, mumbling, “Didn’t I reschedule with Mrs. Smith? I have to try the food at her restaurant so I can trick her into giving me money.”
Jian Cenyu: “But you don’t have to eat this first thing in the morning, do you? It’s all fried food, which is bad for your stomach and makes you gain weight easily.”
Sang Shi'an had recently gained three pounds and had just complained about it to Jian Cenyu a few days ago. Now that Jian Cenyu brought it up, she was furious, wishing she could sit on top of her and scratch her.
She grabbed another chicken wing and held it to Jian Cenyu’s mouth. “Open up.”
Under Sang Shi'an’s stare, Jian Cenyu hesitated for two seconds before biting into it with a frown.
Sang Shi'an hummed and asked, “How does it taste?”
Jian Cenyu said, “Not as good as the ones back home.”
Sang Shi'an strongly agreed. “Things that don’t taste good usually aren’t absorbed by the body, so eat up. You won’t gain any weight.”
Jian Cenyu was speechless.
Fine, whatever her girlfriend said was right.
Besides, Sang Shi'an’s weight was already under a hundred pounds, so it didn’t matter if she ate this every day.
By the time Jian Cenyu finally finished that chicken wing, Sang Shi'an had already polished off three. She diligently offered her a chicken leg. “Here.”
Jian Cenyu was really struggling this early in the morning.
Sang Shi'an clicked her tongue, went back to the counter, and ordered two servings of corn, handing them to Jian Cenyu. “Then you can eat this.”
Jian Cenyu finally felt a bit of an appetite.
Halfway through their meal, Jian Cenyu reached out and wiped the fried chicken powder from the corner of Sang Shi'an’s mouth. “You’re like a little kid.”
Sang Shi'an shook her head. “I’m not wearing makeup today, so I can just wipe my face after I’m done. But don’t call me that. It makes it sound like I’m much younger than you.”
Jian Cenyu picked up a napkin to wipe her hands and said directly, “Baby.”
Sang Shi'an’s face turned red for no reason.
Jian Cenyu was intrigued and called out again, “Baby?”
Sang Shi'an’s face grew even redder. Meeting Jian Cenyu’s scrutinizing gaze, she said huffily, “It’s one thing for you to call me that in bed, but who gave you permission to call me that whenever you want? What if someone hears?”
Jian Cenyu gestured to the actual ‘babies’ around them with their mothers and said, “They don’t understand Chinese.”
Sang Shi'an picked up the egg tart she had taken a bite of and stuffed it into Jian Cenyu’s mouth. “That’s still not okay.”
Jian Cenyu bit into the egg tart, and her laughter drifted into Sang Shi'an’s ears with the breeze from the window, sounding even more cheerful than before. “Got it, baby.”
Comments
Post a Comment