Indulgence - Chapter 12
Chapter 12
【Ruan Xin】Pretty face, great body. She's the type to make your heart race.
Yao Ran had just finished a meeting and was sitting on the lounge sofa in her office, staring at the message that had popped up on her phone screen.
Ruan Xin and Jiang Nian had been in frequent contact recently, and she had suspected something was up. Jiang Nian was exactly Ruan Xin's type: proactive, passionate, and skilled at flirting.
The more she thought about it, the more something felt off.
She told herself she didn't care, but things between her and Jiang Nian were still somewhat ambiguous. Yao Ran rubbed her forehead… In any case, she shouldn't have let herself go that night.
A moment later, another WeChat message appeared:
【Ruan Xin】If you liked women, you'd be into her too. Dating her would definitely be comfortable.
Yao Ran stared at it for a long while, unsure how to respond to Ruan Xin's words. It wasn't until she saw another string of messages from Ruan Xin:
【Ruan Xin】Just kidding. We're just regular friends who get along well. I may be gay, but that doesn't mean I fall in love with every beautiful woman I see, okay? It's all about the feeling.
Ruan Xin was straightforward; she meant what she said. If she said she wasn't interested, she wasn't interested.
Yao Ran's awkwardness eased slightly…
"Are you not feeling well?"
Yao Ran looked up at the sound of the voice and saw Shen Fangyi standing at her office door. She shook her head with a smile, then asked, "What's up?"
Shen Fangyi smiled and asked, "I was wondering if you're free this weekend. Want to go out? A few friends and I are planning to go camping by the lake."
Yao Ran politely declined, "I've already made plans with Ruan Xin to go to Qingfeng Temple this weekend."
"Oh, I see." Shen Fangyi had met Ruan Xin a couple of times and knew she was Yao Ran's childhood friend and the co-owner of her bar. Her voice lowered slightly. "Well, it's good to get out and clear your head."
Yao Ran seemed lost in thought for a moment before calling out to her, "Fangyi."
"Yes?"
"You don't have to be so deliberately concerned about me. What I mean is, the divorce hasn't really affected me. I'm doing fine, and it won't interfere with my work." After the divorce, Yao Ran noticed that Shen Fangyi's concern for her had become excessive, extending beyond the scope of a normal colleague.
"Of course, I believe you," Shen Fangyi explained. "I just feel like you don't have to process everything on your own. You have friends like us."
Yao Ran knew she meant well and didn't say more, just nodded with a smile.
To free up her weekend, Jiang Nian rescheduled her appointments, moving some up and pushing others back. These things were easy to arrange. Besides, it had been a while since she'd taken a real break, so it was a good opportunity to relax for a couple of days.
They planned to set out on Saturday morning.
Jiang Nian woke up three hours early to do her makeup and style her hair. It wasn't often she got to go out like this, so she naturally wanted to put in more effort.
When picking an outfit, she tried on more than ten before finally settling on the one she was most satisfied with in front of the full-length mirror. It was a mature, cool-toned color palette, and paired with passionate red lips, the contrast created a unique and eye-catching effect.
After taking several photos in the mirror, Jiang Nian sent them to Qiu Lan and asked: Look good?
After waiting a few minutes without a reply, Jiang Nian gave her a voice call.
Qiu Lan was clearly still asleep, humming lazily, "Hello?"
"Check your WeChat messages," Jiang Nian prompted.
"What is it…"
After a few seconds of silence, a furious roar came from the other end. "Jiang Nian, are you crazy?! You woke me up just to look at a photo? Miss, I was busy until the early hours of the morning! You might not need sleep, but I do!"
It was common for them to work late into the night, and last night had indeed been a long one. Jiang Nian herself had needed eight alarms to drag herself out of bed this morning.
After her tirade, Qiu Lan added, "Is that you in the picture? I almost didn't recognize you, all dressed up so properly. What's with the sudden change in style?"
Jiang Nian simply asked her, "How is it?"
"Proper yet sultry," Qiu Lan gave her honest assessment. "I have to say, the mature woman look really suits you. Send me a few more from different angles. I'll save them to post on Weibo and Little Red Book tomorrow to drive some traffic to the studio."
Jiang Nian chuckled. "Director Qiu, you're truly dedicated. I'll send you the pictures later. You can go back to sleep."
Qiu Lan muttered "crazy" one more time before hanging up.
Jiang Nian quickly packed a bag. They were going to spend the night at a mountain villa in the scenic area and return the next day. Qingfeng Temple wasn't exactly close, but it wasn't too far either. Ruan Xin had suggested that since they were making the trip, they might as well explore the surrounding area.
Once her bag was packed, Jiang Nian grabbed her camera and headed out. She enjoyed taking photos in her spare time. She had many hobbies; whatever piqued her interest, she would try. She wasn't necessarily an expert in all of them—the fun was mainly in the experience.
Just as the weather forecast predicted, the temperature rose a few degrees over the weekend, and the sun shone brightly.
Yao Ran arrived early, parking her car in the open-air lot outside the bar. She glanced at her watch; it was almost time, but there was no sign of Ruan Xin.
She gave Ruan Xin a call, but the line was busy. Two minutes later, Ruan Xin called her back.
"I can't make it today," Ruan Xin said.
"What's wrong?"
"The little brat ate something bad yesterday and isn't feeling well today. I have to take her to the hospital now." The urgency was clear in Ruan Xin's voice.
The "little brat" Ruan Xin mentioned was a girl she had sponsored through a charity program. She had met her years ago while traveling. Her name was Xu Xia. The girl later worked hard and got into a university in Beilin. Unfamiliar with the city, Ruan Xin was her most frequent contact.
Xu Xia wasn't actually that young anymore—she was already a junior in college—but Ruan Xin still called her "little brat" out of habit, and it was hard to change.
"Is it serious?" Yao Ran asked with concern.
"We haven't been to the hospital yet. She said she feels pretty awful, so I'm going to check on her first," Ruan Xin said.
"Okay, you go take her to the hospital."
"You two go on ahead. Don't forget to get two good luck charms for me."
"Mm." Yao Ran didn't need to ask to know that one was for Ruan Xin herself, and the other was for Xu Xia.
Just as Yao Ran put down her phone, she heard a light tap on her car window.
Jiang Nian was standing outside, leaning down.
Yao Ran turned her head. As the window rolled down, a mature, radiant smile flooded in with the sunlight. Backlit, she was framed for a moment like a scene from a movie.
Jiang Nian didn't see Ruan Xin. "Sister Ruan isn't here yet?"
Yao Ran hadn't expected such a coincidence either. "She had something come up last minute and can't make it today."
Jiang Nian looked at her, then asked, "So it's just us?"
Yao Ran thought she might feel awkward and was about to suggest they could reschedule with Ruan Xin, but instead, she heard a familiar, easygoing voice from outside the window:
"Then I'll just sit in the front."
Yao Ran was speechless.
Since the plans were already made, there wasn't much to say. It was just a trip together.
Yao Ran opened the trunk to let Jiang Nian put her luggage inside.
After getting in the car, Jiang Nian said, "The other day, Sister Ruan mentioned going to Qingfeng Temple, and I happened to want to go there to take some photos, so she suggested we go together."
"She told me," Yao Ran replied faintly.
"Just hitching a ride with Director Yao," Jiang Nian said softly.
Yao Ran's hands rested on the steering wheel, her brow slowly relaxing. She thought to herself that since she'd already said she wouldn't dwell on that night, she should just interact with her normally.
The drive took about two hours, and the two of them barely spoke the entire time.
Yao Ran was usually like this anyway; she didn't like to talk and get distracted while driving, so it didn't feel particularly uncomfortable.
Jiang Nian didn't feel uncomfortable either. She alternated between looking at the scenery outside the window and fiddling with her camera, occasionally glancing at the person beside her—she'd never seen a woman with more class when her hair was tied up. Gentle, yet with a sense of indifference, she was inexplicably alluring… It made one want to see her passionate side.
Once they were on the highway, a spark of inspiration hit Jiang Nian. She took out her sketchbook and pen, ready to jot down ideas as they came.
Yao Ran glanced over and watched as the pen in her hand moved as if by magic, sketching out a drawing in an instant.
Halfway there, Ruan Xin called Yao Ran to say the kid had been to the hospital and it was nothing serious. She made sure to remind her again to get two good luck charms.
Ruan Xin was very good to that girl, caring for her in every way like an older sister. Yao Ran knew their situation. Ruan Xin had a falling out with her family years ago over coming out, and that young girl had stayed by her side, becoming like family.
After finishing two rough sketches, Jiang Nian also received a WeChat message from Ruan Xin.
【Ruan Xin】My friend hasn't been in a good mood lately. Could you help look after her a bit?
Seeing this, Jiang Nian quickly replied: I will.
Ruan Xin sent back a "Thanks." She wouldn't have been so forward with anyone else, but she really liked Jiang Nian's personality—relaxed, spontaneous, and good at cheering people up. She was comfortable to be around and would make a great friend.
As they approached a service area, Jiang Nian asked Yao Ran, "Want to take a break? I can drive."
Yao Ran said it wasn't necessary; they were almost there.
Qingfeng Temple was a popular attraction near Beilin, and Beilin, being a tier-one megacity, had no shortage of tourists. On weekends, it was a bit too lively.
As they got closer to the scenic area, traffic started to build up. After a long delay, they arrived at their destination later than expected, around one o'clock.
The area was mountainous, a natural oxygen bar. The moment they stepped out of the car, they could feel the air was completely different from the city.
Ruan Xin had booked their accommodation at a place called Flowing Water Mountain Villa, the most famous mountain-view hotel in the area. The environment was tranquil and stylish, and despite the high price for a night's stay, it never lacked for guests.
They went to check in first, giving Ruan Xin's name at the front desk.
Just then.
"Yao Ran," a smiling female voice called from behind them. "What a coincidence. I was just wondering if I'd run into you today, and here you are."
Jiang Nian turned around with Yao Ran and saw a woman with shoulder-length hair pulling a suitcase toward them, a wide smile on her face. It seemed she had run into an acquaintance.
The person who greeted them was none other than Shen Fangyi. Puzzled, Yao Ran asked her, "Weren't you going camping? What are you doing here?"
"The original plan was to go camping, but it was canceled at the last minute." Shen Fangyi sighed. "I didn't want to waste the beautiful weekend weather. Last time, I heard you say you were coming to Qingfeng Temple, and I thought it would be a nice place to relax. Plus, I can also pray for a good relationship."
"Everyone wants to come here to pray for love, huh," Jiang Nian chimed in naturally.
"And you are?" Shen Fangyi had noticed Jiang Nian next to Yao Ran from the start. She looked unfamiliar; they had never met before.
Before Yao Ran could figure out how to introduce her, the person beside her took the initiative. "Hello, my name is Jiang Nian…"
As Jiang Nian spoke, she glanced at Yao Ran. "A friend of Director Yao's."
Friend?
Yao Ran glanced at her, too.
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