ORCBRB – Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Sang Shi'an's exchange student program was actually supposed to have ended two months ago, but due to her special circumstances and excellent grades in the United States, she received a new letter of recommendation from her professor and had her exchange period extended.

The next day, after her morning class, she chased after the professor to ask a couple of questions. Just as she finished thanking him, she saw Jian Cenyu coming out of the auditorium across the way. Accompanying her were several foreign students, and the one closest and most enthusiastic was a very beautiful foreign woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She followed Jian Cenyu all the way down the auditorium steps, a brilliant smile on her face.

Clutching the textbook in her arms, Sang Shi'an suddenly felt unhappy.

Back in their home country, it was always men who tried to hit on Jian Cenyu. She never expected that after coming abroad, she would have to be on guard against women too. The thought of Jian Cenyu's days in Australia made Sang Shi'an so jealous she was beside herself. She turned and walked away.

Jian Cenyu had just finished answering the foreign students' questions when she saw Sang Shi'an's retreating figure in the distance. A little surprised, she apologized to the people beside her and hurried after her.

Sang Shi'an found a random place to have lunch and completely ignored Jian Cenyu, who had caught up to her.

For the entire afternoon that followed, Jian Cenyu was invited to the professor's office again. Sang Shi'an was gloomy and listless during her class, so much so that Yu Qingci thought she had a fever.

When they walked out of the academic building after class, Sang Shi'an saw Jian Cenyu waiting outside from a distance. Yu Qingci had seen Jian Cenyu countless times before and was about to tease Sang Shi'an when Sang Shi'an suddenly turned her head and smiled at her. "Didn't I still owe you a meal? No time like the present. How about today?"

Looking at the smile on her face, Yu Qingci felt a little creeped out. "Your girlfriend came all the way to America to see you, and you want to treat me to a meal?"

Sang Shi'an nodded, a hint of a threat in her voice. "Are you eating or not?"

Yu Qingci swallowed, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire between the young couple. But Sang Shi'an gave her no chance to escape, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her in front of Jian Cenyu. "My friend is having dinner with us. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Yu Qingci braced herself and greeted Jian Cenyu, proactively surrendering the moment she opened her mouth. "Hello, Sangsang's girlfriend."

Jian Cenyu smiled and nodded. "Hello."

Sang Shi'an's plan had failed at the first attempt. Without sparing Jian Cenyu a single glance, she spent the entire time asking Yu Qingci what she wanted to eat and what she wanted to order, fussing over her like a doting mother.

Yu Qingci usually ate slowly and deliberately, but this meal she devoured with the speed of an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. Before the waiter even brought dessert, she came up with an excuse about meeting a new senior and tried to run.

Sang Shi'an immediately grabbed Yu Qingci, wiped her own lips, and half-knelt to give Yu Qingci a farewell kiss on the hand. "Darling, have a wonderful evening."

Yu Qingci: ...

Yu Qingci wished she could just chop off her own hand. She grabbed her bag and fled the restaurant as if escaping.

Having put on a full display, Sang Shi'an sat back down, raised her pinky elegantly to adjust the napkin in front of her, and turned her head gracefully to smile at Jian Cenyu. "This is how we usually interact."

Jian Cenyu's brow furrowed tightly, but given that they were in a public place, she said nothing.

It was only when Sang Shi'an was eating dessert that Jian Cenyu's gaze fell upon her several times, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

The ride back was silent. After the car stopped, Sang Shi'an unbuckled her seatbelt and got out immediately. Jian Cenyu chased after her from behind, pulled her close, and kissed her right at the door.

Sang Shi'an struggled a couple of times and pushed Jian Cenyu away, panting. She heard Jian Cenyu ask, "Why did you kiss her?"

Sang Shi'an pushed her away again and turned to unlock the door with her key. "It was just a kiss on the hand. Don't make it sound so suggestive."

Jian Cenyu pressed her lips together, a cold smile spreading from the corners of her mouth. The moment Sang Shi'an opened the door, she pushed her into the house, slamming the door shut with a bang.

She trapped Sang Shi'an in front of her and said in a low voice, "But your friend didn't return the gesture, which means it was your own initiative."

Sang Shi'an's lips moved, and the strain caused a thin layer of sweat to form on her back. "I felt like it."

Jian Cenyu's breath drew near again. In the darkness, Sang Shi'an could feel the gaze on her face—deep, heavy, as if it would swallow her whole.

Sang Shi'an suddenly chickened out. She swallowed guiltily, her lively eyes lifting cautiously as she said in a small voice, "You know, Yu Qingci is Su Ningyue's childhood friend. We're just friends, a very pure friendship."

Jian Cenyu hummed in agreement. "We used to have a very pure friendship, too."

"But—"

Her barely parted lips were ruthlessly invaded. A scorching hot tongue swept through her mouth, fiercely licking every inch. Sang Shi'an's back was pressed against a hanging decoration in the entryway. The cool, textured object dug into her painfully, and she whimpered a plea not to do it here.

But Jian Cenyu seemed not to hear at all. Jealousy had washed away all reason. She ignored Sang Shi'an's pleas, her kisses trailing down from her lips to bite directly into the delicate skin of her neck.

Sang Shi'an let out a pained cry, pushing against Jian Cenyu's slender shoulders with all her might.

The seemingly frail body didn't move an inch. A fine, sharp pain spread from her bitten neck. Just before the skin broke, Jian Cenyu released her teeth, extended her tongue, and licked the spot. The sensation of sucking sent shivers down her spine.

Without warning, the strap on her back was unhooked. Sang Shi'an's eyes flew open. "No, mm, no..."

Her voice was smothered back into her mouth. Her hands were clasped together, and she didn't know where Jian Cenyu had found a tie, but it was wrapped around her wrists, securing them tightly behind her back.

When their eyes met, Sang Shi'an thought she saw a chance and desperately tried to apologize with muffled sounds, but Jian Cenyu simply pulled her toward the nearest sofa.

Sang Shi'an always cried easily at times like this. Paired with her pitiful, wronged expression, it didn't evoke much sympathy. Instead, it was incredibly alluring.

Jian Cenyu gently stroked her eyes, paused for a moment, and said in a deep voice, "An'an, crying won't help."

Her legs were held high against the back of the sofa, a position Sang Shi'an had previously found most unacceptable and shameful. With her hands pinned behind her back, she was completely immobile. Jian Cenyu looked down at her. "Do you know what you did wrong?"

Sang Shi'an was about to nod immediately, but Jian Cenyu flipped her over and said meaningfully, "Since you're not talking, I'll assume you don't."

Sang Shi'an: ?!

A storm of kisses rained down on Sang Shi'an's back. With each one, her back trembled, until a cool sensation appeared between her legs.

Sang Shi'an opened her hazy eyes and turned her head to see the plate of strawberries from the coffee table now in Jian Cenyu's hand. One of them was pressed against her, making a soft, cool sound as it was squeezed.

Sang Shi'an's fingers dug into the throw pillow as she struggled to twist her body. "Don't, you can't do this."

Jian Cenyu just gave her a quiet look. The strawberry was placed back on the plate. Sang Shi'an let out a small sigh of relief, but in the next second—

Smack.

The mouth that had just refused to eat the strawberry was slapped hard. Tears were almost instantly forced from Sang Shi'an's eyes. Her tense waist trembled, and just as she was about to curse, another slap landed.

Three in a row, and not on her lower back like one would spank a child.

Sang Shi'an was overwhelmed with shame and anger when she heard Jian Cenyu say, "Eat it obediently. Don't make me unhappy again tonight."

Sang Shi'an was utterly aggrieved. "You're a psycho!"

Jian Cenyu smiled faintly. Her long, cascading hair softened her features. As much as Sang Shi'an usually loved that smile, she was now crying just as hard.

In her line of sight, the plate of strawberries was picked up again. Sweat gradually beaded on Sang Shi'an's temples, and her bitten lower lip grew paler and paler, until—

Drip.

A drop of strawberry juice splattered onto the sofa. At the same time, more juice seeped out from her mouth, as if it had been crushed.

Sang Shi'an heard Jian Cenyu's breathing grow heavier behind her. The slightest movement might fulfill Jian Cenyu's wish and make her eat more of the strawberry.

Jian Cenyu leaned in, tilted Sang Shi'an's face to the side, and kissed her. At the same time, the strawberry, which had been a third of the way out, was completely consumed by Sang Shi'an.

The tiny seeds of the strawberry were densely packed, each one a gentle knife of torture. Unbearable beads of hot sweat rolled down Sang Shi'an's forehead. She proactively lifted her leg and rubbed it against Jian Cenyu's waist. "Take... take it out, I'm begging you..."

Jian Cenyu helped Sang Shi'an turn over to face her, cupped her face, and deepened the kiss. It was a lingering yet forceful rejection of Sang Shi'an's proposal. She explored Sang Shi'an's mouth, her tongue tangling with hers, kissing deeper and deeper while simultaneously caressing Sang Shi'an's chest, feeling her rapidly beating heart, and kneading it gently.

"You can push it out yourself," Jian Cenyu coaxed in Sang Shi'an's ear. "Want to try?"

Sang Shi'an shook her head frantically. "No, I don't want to!"

The rare smile on Jian Cenyu's face vanished, and her expression turned gloomy again.

Sang Shi'an sensed the danger and wanted to remedy the situation.

But it was too late.

Another slap landed precisely, causing the strawberry to slide even deeper. It didn't hurt, but the sound was torturous, especially since the palm covered a large area, leaving Sang Shi'an no way to dodge.

"Are you going to kiss someone else in front of me again?"

"How about I request a leave of absence for you?"

"For the next few days, you'll only be able to see me."

"Isn't that good? In that case, you can just eat this whole plate of strawberries."

With every sentence Jian Cenyu uttered, a slap followed. Soon, her already flushed skin turned an even deeper red, splattered with strawberry juice. The memory of being locked in the house day and night by Jian Cenyu flooded back. Even though it had been so long, Sang Shi'an's body couldn't help but tremble... and she began to get aroused.

When the next slap fell, Sang Shi'an bit down on Jian Cenyu's finger. To Jian Cenyu's surprise, she actually managed to push out half of the strawberry.

It wasn't until half a minute later that her consciousness gradually returned.

Jian Cenyu gently lifted Sang Shi'an by the shoulders and gave her half a glass of water. "Are you feeling better?"

Sang Shi'an was weak and listless, but she didn't dare to respond, afraid that if she said she was better, Jian Cenyu would go crazy on her again.

It was only when Jian Cenyu untied the tie from her wrists that Sang Shi'an saw the gentle smile in her eyes. After a moment's hesitation, she asked in a small voice, "You're not angry anymore?"

Jian Cenyu didn't answer. Instead, she sat down by her waist, lowered her head, and her fingers reached for the strawberry. "Hold still."

The strawberry was already half-crushed, a sticky, gooey mess. Jian Cenyu spent nearly two minutes cleaning it up but couldn't get it all. She frowned and said, "You need to wash up."

As she was carried to the bathtub, Sang Shi'an let Jian Cenyu do as she pleased, wanting to speak but hesitating.

After the strawberry was completely cleaned away, Sang Shi'an finally couldn't hold back and grabbed Jian Cenyu's hand. "You're... not continuing?"

Otherwise, why wash up so thoroughly?

Jian Cenyu's expression looked even more surprised than Sang Shi'an's. "You haven't had enough?"

Her gaze fell, and she seemed to make a rigorous assessment of the already red and swollen skin. "We can play one more time, at most."

Sang Shi'an: ?

"What do you mean, 'play'?"

The anger and coldness on Jian Cenyu's face had vanished completely, replaced by her usual gentle and understanding girlfriend persona. "Weren't you deliberately provoking me with your friend, wanting me to play a punishment game with you? It's fine to play once in a while, but you're too delicate. You can't take too much of a beating."

Sang Shi'an: ...............

Sang Shi'an's face was a kaleidoscope of colors; she didn't even know what to say. Under Jian Cenyu's encouraging gaze, she spoke dryly, "So you weren't angry? You were pretending?"

Jian Cenyu nodded sincerely.

"You thought... I wanted you to punish me?"

Jian Cenyu nodded again and asked softly, "Was my understanding incorrect?"

No, not incorrect at all.

If Jian Cenyu found out she had been deliberately provoking her, she might really force her to eat the entire plate of strawberries.

Although eating strawberries was quite pleasurable, one had to know when to stop.

Sang Shi'an gave Jian Cenyu a fawning kiss, swallowed her tears, and forced a smile that looked worse than crying. "How could you be wrong? Cenyu Jiejie understands me so well!"

Jian Cenyu stroked the corner of Sang Shi'an's eye. "Then why does An'an have this expression?"

Sang Shi'an feigned shyness. "I'm a little uncomfortable down there."

Jian Cenyu's gaze dropped, and she hesitated. "Did I hit you too hard?"

Not really.

Although Jian Cenyu had seemed fierce, she had been holding back her strength.

When Sang Shi'an didn't speak, Jian Cenyu began to reflect on her own actions. "Your reaction was very excited just now. If it were lighter, you might not have felt anything."

She looked like a curious student seeking knowledge, her clear eyes fixed on Sang Shi'an, waiting for an answer.

Sang Shi'an couldn't stand Jian Cenyu's gaze and just wanted to get through this awkward night as quickly as possible. "Yes, it was good, just right."

Jian Cenyu smiled. "Want to try again next time?"

Sang Shi'an: ...

This time Jian Cenyu came to the United States, she also brought a piece of news that might or might not be considered good.

After a year and a half, Jian Zhenyang's case was finally sentenced.

Although the group of foreigners who partnered with Jian Zhenyang were not subject to the jurisdiction of the Chinese police, the European authorities had long wanted to capture these mafia members involved in transnational money laundering. The two sides joined forces and finally closed the case.

Jian Zhenyang was sentenced to twenty-five years. It was said that during the trial, Jian Zhenyang's lawyers barely tried to appeal for a reduced sentence and simply accepted the outcome.

Jian Cenyu was telling her this as Sang Shi'an came home from school. Seeing the ready-made dinner on the table, she was in a great mood and grabbed a slice of pizza to munch on. "Didn't his family get him a better lawyer? We didn't even pressure the court."

Jian Cenyu said, "Jian Zhenyang's family can't even fend for themselves. My uncle and aunt wanted to help, but they couldn't. The amount of money Jian Zhenyang was involved with was too large. The two of them have already sold all their shares in Jian Corporation to help Jian Zhenyang pay it back, which is how he avoided the death penalty. They have very few assets left now. As for Jian Zhenming, he cut ties with the family right after that incident and fled the country with the money."

At this point, Jian Cenyu paused for two seconds. "His recent situation isn't great either."

Sang Shi'an knew that Jian Zhenming had gone abroad, but she didn't expect there to be a follow-up. "What happened to him?"

"Jian Zhenming gave me the evidence of Jian Zhenyang's money laundering."

Sang Shi'an was stunned for nearly a minute.

Back when Huaxing's shipment was intercepted in Europe, Jian Cenyu hadn't mentioned money laundering at all until the sudden revelation at the shareholders' meeting.

At that time, Sang Shi'an had even thought Jian Cenyu was deliberately trying to trap Jian Zhenyang into a confession. She hadn't expected Jian Cenyu to actually produce evidence later and report it directly to the police.

Thinking back now, the evidence of Jian Zhenyang's money laundering had indeed appeared far too timely. If it was provided by his own brother, Jian Zhenming, then it all made sense.

"Jian Zhenming knew that Jian Zhenyang had evidence of our relationship, so he sent you the evidence of Jian Zhenyang's money laundering, wanting you two to fight each other. He planned to be the oriole behind the mantis and cicada, but he didn't expect that I still held shares in the Jian family, nor did he expect our relationship to be suppressed so quickly, causing all of Jian Zhenming's calculations to come to nothing."

Seeing Sang Shi'an eating so quickly, Jian Cenyu poured her a glass of iced Coke before continuing, "That's right. At the time, when my uncle and aunt were spending money to save Jian Zhenyang's life, Jian Zhenming was unwilling. Because of that, he took a sum of money, fled the country, and cut off all ties with the family."

"And now?"

"The day Jian Zhenyang was sentenced, Jian Zhenming, who was vacationing on an island, was found by the people in Europe. They told his parents to pay a ransom for him, and then my uncle went to my father."

That group of mafia members certainly couldn't have been wiped out in one go. As the one who betrayed them and caused them to lose such a large sum of money, Jian Zhenming would naturally be on their wanted list.

Sang Shi'an let out a soft "wow." "Falling into their hands... he's in for it now. He'll be lucky to escape with his life, let alone without injury. Are you guys going to pay the ransom?"

Jian Cenyu lowered her eyes, calmly concealing the sharp glint within them, and said lightly, "We've already reported it to the police in Europe for Jian Zhenming."

That meant they were abandoning him completely.

Sang Shi'an had no objection to this. Jian Zhenming had previously aimed to ruin Jian Cenyu's reputation. She wouldn't sympathize with such a person.

She opened her mouth to accept a piece of steak Jian Cenyu had cut, chewed it thoughtfully, and asked, "How did the people in Europe find out that Jian Zhenming was the one who betrayed them?"

Jian Cenyu also took a bite of meat and continued to portion the steak. "How would I know?"

Sang Shi'an looked up at her with great interest.

Jian Cenyu glanced sideways at Sang Shi'an and noticed she was holding back a smile. Her eyes were overly animated, the sparkle in them brighter than the sunset outside the window.

"Don't worry, I value my life. I wouldn't deliver myself to their doorstep."

Sang Shi'an's voice rose playfully. "Have I ever told you about my big client's romantic history?"

Jian Cenyu: "Smith?"

"Mhm. She was already very wealthy on her own, and then after getting married twice, both her husbands died. After receiving all the inheritance, she shot straight up the Forbes list of billionaires." Sang Shi'an looked at Jian Cenyu meaningfully. "So if you insist on dying and leaving me your inheritance, I wouldn't mind."

Annoyed, Jian Cenyu put down her knife and fork and fiercely sealed Sang Shi'an's nonsensical mouth. When they parted, Jian Cenyu said, "We have no legal relationship. You can't get my inheritance."

The words were tantalizing, but Sang Shi'an wouldn't take the bait. "Oh, then forget it. It's not like I'm short on money."

Jian Cenyu said, looking quite hurt, "A qualified businessperson should possess the fine virtue of insatiable greed."

Sang Shi'an looked at her with amusement. "Are you tired of being in a relationship already?"

How could Jian Cenyu dare?

"No, I was just thinking about how someone used to talk about marrying me whenever Australia came up. But a year and a half has passed, and things have changed. Just feeling a bit sentimental."

Sang Shi'an raised an eyebrow. "I'm older now, not so easy to fool. Is that a problem?"

Jian Cenyu sounded rather regretful. "Fine."

Sang Shi'an laughed and sighed dramatically. "Haven't you ever seen how adults propose? There are so many movies, TV shows, and novel plots out there. Did you have to come so empty-handed?"

Jian Cenyu mused, "If I really tricked you into registering, your family would hunt me down, right?"

"Wow, if you can't go back to the country, I could justifiably take over your assets? You could just watch from abroad as I spend your money. How wonderful." Sang Shi'an applauded for Jian Cenyu. "I should check if Massachusetts accepts same-sex marriage registration."

Jian Cenyu was almost out of patience with the teasing. As Sang Shi'an reached for her phone, Jian Cenyu's hands slid around her waist. Sang Shi'an had a bad feeling, and with a swift move, Jian Cenyu pushed her onto the dining table.

"An'an, where are you running?" Her breath descended, pinning Sang Shi'an to the other side of the dining table, turning her into a new delicacy.

Sang Shi'an was completely trapped and quickly changed her tune. "You can have my assets instead."

Jian Cenyu shook her head. "It's not about the money. After all—"

Sang Shi'an never heard the rest of the sentence.

Her upturned neck was held fast. She was being kissed so deeply she could barely breathe, and beads of sweat trickled down her beautifully rising chest. Sang Shi'an's hands gripped the edge of the table tightly. It wasn't until a mess was made under her skirt that Jian Cenyu finally let her go. Sang Shi'an lay back on the table, gasping for air, her eyes unfocused for a full half-minute.

Jian Cenyu planted a kiss on Sang Shi'an's cheek and finally finished the rest of her sentence: "...even you are mine."

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