Indulgence - Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Just then, Ruan Xin came out of the restroom, happening to stand right between the two and breaking the ambiguous atmosphere.
Yao Ran acted as if she hadn't heard Jiang Nian's words. She just glanced at Ruan Xin and urged softly, "Let's go."
Jiang Nian wanted to speak but stopped herself. All she could see was a beautiful, cold back. She was clearly avoiding her, not even wanting to spare her another glance.
By the time they went downstairs, it was completely dark.
Ruan Xin noticed a small decorative item on the front desk, an adorably simple wooden carving of a puppy. "How cute."
Yao Ran had also noticed this handmade wood carving when she came in. The style was childish, but the craftsmanship was extremely fine, creating a striking contrast with the studio's minimalist and artistic decor, which made it eye-catching.
The more Ruan Xin looked at it, the more she liked it. She pointed and asked bluntly, "Can you give this to me?"
"This..." The young girl at the front desk was in a difficult position. Afraid of offending this major client, she could only secretly glance at Jiang Nian, who was walking over, for help.
"This is our shop's mascot. Next time Director Ruan comes, I'll give you an even cuter one," Jiang Nian politely declined.
It wasn't that she was stingy. If it were some trinket bought from outside, she would have just given it away if a customer liked it. But she had carved this wooden puppy herself. Things made by hand always carry a special meaning and shouldn't be given away lightly.
"Is that so." Ruan Xin had only asked casually and didn't really mind. Before leaving, she didn't forget to wave enthusiastically at Jiang Nian. "We'll meet again next time. If you come find me at Moments, I'll buy you a drink."
"Mm, I'll remember that." Jiang Nian readily agreed. She never refused such invitations.
They left.
Jiang Nian watched as the tall figure gradually disappeared into the vast night. She couldn't help but wonder, would she come with her next time?
Judging by her reaction today...
Probably not.
The next time they met, they would act like complete strangers, as if nothing had ever happened. This scenario was also within Jiang Nian's expectations.
After all, it was just a one-night stand, completely consensual. It was normal to "not acknowledge it" afterward; no one needed to be responsible for anyone else.
Jiang Nian stared at the night outside the door, bit her lip in frustration, and hugged her arms. The evening wind blowing in brought a slight chill.
She got off work after finishing her tasks.
She had been so tired these past two days she felt like she was falling apart. That night, as soon as Jiang Nian got home, she collapsed onto the sofa and remained motionless for a long while.
After a long time, she turned over, lying lazily on her back. She found the broken necklace in her bag and dangled it, its silver chain flashing brightly in the light.
She had originally planned to return it to its owner today.
Jiang Nian stared at the broken necklace in her hand, lost in thought. Before returning it, shouldn't she get it repaired first?
She opened her WeChat contacts. She knew a lot of people from all walks of life, and she remembered there was someone in the jewelry business.
·
After the weekend, Yao Ran's life returned to its proper track, methodical and uneventful.
She had been on leave for nearly two months. Now, her desk was piled high with documents that needed her attention. It was work and more work, with no time to think about anything else.
She quite enjoyed this busy state, perhaps because it had become a habit after so many years.
As night fell, the sky darkened.
"Director Yao, still busy?"
The woman who entered the office had shoulder-length hair and was dressed in a professional suit, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Shen Fangyi placed the bouquet on the desk. "Some flowers for you."
"Who sent them?" Yao Ran asked.
Shen Fangyi was being playful. She smiled and said, "I did."
Yao Ran took a moment to react.
"To celebrate Director Yao's return," Shen Fangyi said with a double meaning. She had been at Yuesheng for some years and knew a thing or two about Yao Ran's situation.
"Mm, thank you." Yao Ran thought that she really should celebrate. A bunch of trivial matters were finally over, and now she could focus without distractions. "Fangyi, you're just in time. There are a few things I wanted to go over with you."
Shen Fangyi was the second-in-command of Yuesheng's business department. During Yao Ran's leave, she was primarily responsible for the department's decisions. She was capable and steady, and had managed everything in an orderly fashion.
"There's no need to rush, right? Working overtime as soon as you get back?" Shen Fangyi leaned against the desk. "How about we don't talk about work for now. Have you been too tired lately? You don't look so well."
"Really?" Yao Ran quickly hid her somber mood and gave a faint smile. "I'm fine."
Shen Fangyi was helpless. Sticking to business, she gave a rough overview of the progress on their recent collaborative projects. Everything was going smoothly, and two projects had even developed into deep partnerships.
"I didn't disappoint you, did I?"
"Mm, I've always trusted you," Yao Ran said, reaching up to rub the back of her neck. After sitting for a long time, her shoulders and neck would easily get stiff.
"It's rare to get a compliment from Director Yao." Shen Fangyi smiled. Seeing Yao Ran's weary state, she moved closer and said in a low voice, "Want me to give you a massage?"
A hand reached over. Yao Ran instinctively flinched and immediately pulled away, extremely wary of letting people get close. "No need."
Shen Fangyi smiled to ease the awkwardness. "You're still the same as ever, not liking people to get too close."
Yao Ran gave a silent, gentle smile. She had always been like this, but that day... She touched her forehead, stopping the thought.
"Yao Ran."
Yao Ran snapped back to attention. "Hm?"
Shen Fangyi said with gentle concern, "If you ever need someone to talk to, you can find me. We don't have to only talk about work."
Yao Ran: "Thank you."
Another polite "thank you," filled with a sense of distance.
Ever since Shen Fangyi had known Yao Ran, she had been like this—exuding a calm, gentle coldness. It wasn't that she was unapproachable, but she had never been seen to be enthusiastic.
After working for a while longer, Yao Ran finally left the company.
She drove out of the underground garage.
The night was vast. The clouds were thick, completely obscuring the moon and stars. The air was a bit stuffy, with a hint of moisture, a sign of impending rain.
Yao Ran had a habit of playing music while driving. She didn't like it too noisy, nor too quiet. Soothing, relaxing instrumental music was just right.
Before long, the tranquil melody was broken by a vibration. An incoming call—
·
The studio wasn't as busy as usual tonight. The last client left at eight. With nothing to do, Jiang Nian opened a can of cold soda and leaned against the fridge, drinking it slowly.
Qiu Lan asked her, "Any plans for tonight?"
"Nope."
"No date? You've been pretty quiet lately." In Qiu Lan's impression, whenever Jiang Nian had free time, she would be dressed to the nines, out "seducing" beautiful women.
The liquid in her mouth was too fizzy. Jiang Nian frowned as she drank, almost choking.
"Want to go play a tabletop game?" Qiu Lan raised her eyebrows and said enthusiastically, "I'll introduce you to a 'sister,' by the way. She's super beautiful and has a great presence."
"How beautiful?" Jiang Nian asked, her tone perfunctory.
"Prettier than anyone I've introduced you to before. She's your type. I'm not kidding, you'll regret it if you don't go."
Jiang Nian gave a lazy smile and lowered her eyes, her mind wandering. She's definitely not as beautiful as her...
Seeing no reaction from Jiang Nian, Qiu Lan urged, "Are you going or not?"
Jiang Nian replied listlessly, "Not going."
Qiu Lan looked incredulous. "For real? You're sure you're not going?"
Jiang Nian still wasn't interested. "Yeah."
"Nian, is there something wrong with you?" Qiu Lan was dumbfounded. Pigs must be flying. In the past, Jiang Nian would have been cheering with joy by now. She sized up the uncharacteristically subdued person before her. "Is something on your mind lately?"
Her mind was a mess, always thinking... thinking so much that she had no energy for anyone else. Jiang Nian ruffled her hair, then looked at Qiu Lan with an indescribable feeling. She explained simply, "I'm too tired. I don't want to move."
"So you do get tired. If you're tired, go home and rest early. Stop staying out all night." Qiu Lan said, then answered a call. "I'll be right there. Okay, I know, I'll bring bubble tea."
Jiang Nian knew at once it was Qiu Lan's girlfriend calling. Qiu Lan had a fiery temper too, but in front of her girlfriend, she could become obedient in a matter of seconds.
Qiu Lan hung up the phone. "I'm leaving. 'That one' is rushing me."
Jiang Nian: "I know, you're going to keep your wife company."
At the mention of her girlfriend, Qiu Lan's smile was as sweet as could be. "Yeah, aren't you jealous of me?"
Jiang Nian squeezed the can in her hand and laughed curses. "Get lost."
Qiu Lan said that when you truly like someone, your heart will always flutter for them. Jiang Nian was starting to believe her. Qiu Lan and her girlfriend had been together since high school and were still as sweet as ever. Qiu Lan even said that her heart still raced when they kissed.
Jiang Nian found her disgustingly cheesy, but she admitted to a bit of envy deep down.
Qiu Lan left first.
Jiang Nian also received several messages on WeChat, all from people asking her to hang out. But tonight, for the first time in forever, she didn't go anywhere. She stayed quietly in her office all evening, taking advantage of a burst of inspiration to draw a few more design sketches.
A large desk was cluttered with various drafts. She doodled on white paper, casually sketching a few lines, and the profile of a woman's face appeared on the paper. She then added a cluster of blooming begonias, tracing the petals with the tip of her pen, one by one.
Jiang Nian stared at the drawing—familiar features. She had drawn another one. She had drawn several recently.
The night grew deeper.
Jiang Nian glanced at the phone on her desk. She didn't know when she had gotten several more unread messages. Tired of drawing, she picked up her phone to look.
Ruan Xin had sent her a message, but it was from half an hour ago.
-[Photo]
-There's an event at the bar tonight, lots of people. Want to come hang out if you're free?
Jiang Nian tapped open the photo.
The photo was of the bar, the atmosphere was fiery. But her attention was drawn to an inconspicuous corner, accidentally captured in the shot—a blurry but familiar face...
Ten minutes later, Jiang Nian appeared at Moments in a bit of a hurry.
Tonight's gathering was organized by Ruan Xin, who had invited many friends to liven things up.
"Jiang Nian, over here."
Hearing Ruan Xin suddenly call out this name, Yao Ran, who had been feeling drowsy and tired, felt as if a nerve had been plucked.
She looked over, and sure enough, it was her.
Ruan Xin was informal. She said to Jiang Nian, "Pick a spot and sit wherever you like. Don't be a stranger."
"Come, sit with me." Most of Ruan Xin's friends were also very open, joking after a few drinks. "I love sitting next to beautiful women."
Faced with the enthusiastic invitations from others, Jiang Nian smiled and naturally looked towards Yao Ran, who was closest to her. "I'll just sit here."
Yao Ran reluctantly shifted, making more space.
As Jiang Nian sat down, she glanced at her. "What a coincidence."
Yao Ran glanced at Jiang Nian, said nothing, and looked away. Maybe she was overthinking it... She hoped it was just a coincidence.
Yao Ran had originally planned to go straight home after working overtime tonight, but she couldn't resist Ruan Xin's repeated invitations to come out and relax.
Ruan Xin seemed afraid she would be lonely. She had been asking her to meet and chat frequently recently, finding various ways to keep her company. Although she never said it outright, Yao Ran knew.
Tonight's gathering was quite comfortable. Although there were many people, the pace was slow. There was no heckling or forcing drinks. Everyone drank, chatted, and listened to music at their own pace, doing whatever felt comfortable.
Because of this, Yao Ran had stayed a little longer tonight. Bored, she quietly listened to others chat, which was a way to pass the time and relieve her boredom.
But just at this moment...
Ruan Xin and Jiang Nian got along very well. She enthusiastically introduced Jiang Nian to everyone. Jiang Nian also quickly blended in. When people heard she was a tattoo artist, their curiosity was piqued, and a new topic of conversation began.
Jiang Nian chatted idly with the others, but her mind was still on the person beside her.
Yao Ran maintained her usual composure. She had driven tonight, so she wasn't drinking alcohol, just a can of soda water.
Someone suggested playing a small game to liven up the atmosphere. It wasn't anything outrageous or inappropriate—just spinning a bottle. Whoever the bottle pointed to had to answer a small question, so everyone could participate.
There were a lot of them, so the chances of being picked weren't high.
After drinking more than half a can of soda, Yao Ran found the bottle pointing directly at her. According to the rules, the person who had been asked the previous question would ask her.
The question was very innocent and sweet. The person asked her what kind of person would make her heart flutter.
Hearing this question, Jiang Nian, like everyone else, turned her gaze to Yao Ran. She feigned a casual posture while secretly paying close attention.
Heart flutter? It had never fluttered. The only time her heart had raced was...
Yao Ran was quiet for a moment under everyone's watchful eyes. To say her heart had never fluttered would be too antisocial. She pursed her lips into a faint smile and gave a conventional answer: "Mature."
Mature.
Jiang Nian listened and silently lowered her eyes.
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