Indulgence - Chapter 33
Chapter 33
"It's nothing," Yao Ran replied.
Ruan Xin was highly skeptical. She'd been distracted all night, and it was nothing? It didn't seem like she was worried about work, either.
After finishing her song, Jiang Nian walked off the stage amidst the cheerful noise. Yao Ran saw several people smiling and waving at her; she hadn't come alone tonight.
Yao Ran quietly took another sip of her drink.
Ruan Xin noticed Yao Ran looking in Jiang Nian's direction and joked, "What, now that she's not chasing you, you're not used to it?"
Yao Ran glanced at her, not in the mood to reply, and remained silent.
Ruan Xin, however, studied the person before her. Why did Director Yao react so strangely whenever Jiang Nian was mentioned? She pondered for a moment and couldn't help but ask probingly, "Do you have a thing for Jiang Nian?"
She wasn't guessing out of thin air. For some time now, Yao Ran had been paying far too much attention to Jiang Nian. Knowing full well that Jiang Nian had ulterior motives, she hadn't given her the cold shoulder; instead, she seemed to notice her every move.
In Ruan Xin's memory, Yao Ran had always been indifferent to such pursuits and flirtations, disliked emotional entanglements, and was always direct and cold when rejecting people.
Yao Ran only met Ruan Xin's gaze, then changed the subject, starting to chat about some old business matters.
Ruan Xin mentioned that He Qin from SL was easy to get along with, especially with beautiful women. Yao Ran instantly understood what she meant. In Ruan Xin's social circle, it wasn't strange for people to like women.
Not long after, Ruan Xin noticed a young man hitting on Xu Xia not far away. She immediately put down her drink, stood up, and said to Yao Ran, "Wait for me a second."
A weary look crossed Yao Ran's face; she was feeling a bit tired. She said to Ruan Xin, "Go on, I'm about to leave too."
"Should I stay with you a bit longer?" Ruan Xin asked, seeing that Yao Ran really wasn't in a good state.
Yao Ran smiled and shook her head.
After Ruan Xin left, Yao Ran sat alone at the table for a while.
The group at Jiang Nian's table was playing a game, and it was very lively. She hadn't been in the mood lately, but not wanting to be a wet blanket, she played along cheerfully.
The more frustrated she felt, the more she liked to be in lively places. For the past few days, she hadn't missed a single party invitation. But her mood hadn't improved much.
"Hey, Jiang Nian," a more gossipy friend next to her nudged her arm.
"What?"
"There's a beautiful woman over there who's been watching you. She probably wants your contact info."
Jiang Nian didn't even look up, just focused on her drink. "Not interested."
Her friend added, "She's your type, a mature woman. A very elegant 'sister'."
Jiang Nian just smiled, still looking completely uninterested.
"Is there something wrong with you lately?"
Jiang Nian didn't speak. It was only after she had drained her glass that she noticed Yao Ran's figure. She was at the bar tonight, sitting in her usual spot. She didn't seem to be alone; she was probably with Ruan Xin.
The moment she saw her, Jiang Nian's gaze was involuntarily locked on her. She's been watching me?
Seeing her staring so intently, her friend laughed. "I told you she was your type."
When Yao Ran glanced over again, her gaze also lingered for a moment.
Across the noisy, dim room, their eyes met, though they couldn't see each other clearly.
Seeing that cool, distant face again, a sense of grievance welled up in Jiang Nian. She had never been rejected like that before and didn't know how to face her anymore. She wanted to get closer but was afraid of making the other woman even more resistant.
She had already said "no." If she shamelessly stuck to her, what was the difference between that and pestering?
Although she was proactive, she wouldn't pester someone relentlessly. That was pointless and annoying.
Jiang Nian just looked. She didn't shamelessly walk over with her drink like before to get closer by joining her table.
"Jiang Nian!"
Jiang Nian turned her head. "Hm?"
"It's your turn, shake the dice."
Urged by the others, Jiang Nian smiled and continued to play the boisterous game with everyone.
Yao Ran casually glanced over and saw Jiang Nian's joyous laughter as she interacted with the others. She also acted as if nothing was wrong, only quietly tightening her grip on the glass in her hand.
She only pursued me on a whim...
Yao Ran agreed with Ruan Xin's analysis. She had plenty of people waiting for her to pursue them. She was charming and knew how to flirt. How long could someone as calm and plain as her hold her interest?
That passionate and direct "I like you" from that night probably didn't hold much genuine feeling...
A sense of irritation grew in her heart, intensified by the noisy crowd. Yao Ran took a breath, placed her unfinished drink on the table, and got up to leave.
Although Jiang Nian was playing, her eyes were subconsciously keeping track of Yao Ran. Seeing her get up to leave, she hesitated but ultimately didn't follow.
"If you want to chase her, then go. She's leaving," her very perceptive friend whispered in her ear.
Jiang Nian was already antsy. With that push, she stood up directly, and without a word to the others, she rashly chased after her.
Her friends were dumbfounded. Damn, she's that desperate?
Going out the back door of the bar led to a quiet back alley.
After walking out of the bar, Yao Ran paused. The last time she went to Jiang Nian's place, they had passed through this alley. As soon as they came out, they had pressed against the wall, holding each other tightly under the cold moonlight, kissing deeply without restraint.
Yao Ran lit a cigarette. Taking a deep breath helped to calm her emotions a little. She thought that their attraction to each other stemmed more from physical passion. Over time, that passion would fade.
Passion was the easiest thing to come and go.
She herself was quite surprised. The intensity she experienced with Jiang Nian in bed made her realize that she also had "restless" moments. She even agreed with Ruan Xin that she had indeed been suppressing herself; she actually craved passion too...
She had to distinguish clearly between this craving and genuine attraction. Desire is always there, but one must know how to restrain it.
She felt she had been too unrestrained in front of Jiang Nian, which was what made everything so impulsive and chaotic.
The moonlight was cold again tonight. The sound of soft footsteps approached—
Jiang Nian followed her into the back alley. This was the second time she had caught Yao Ran secretly smoking.
The smoke dissipated into the night, blurring her face again. Her delicate profile was adorned by a wisp of smoke. When a cool, elegant person smoked, it had a special charm.
Jiang Nian had never seen her in a completely relaxed state. Whether in bed or smoking in private, even when relaxed, she still carried an air of cold restraint.
Just then, Yao Ran saw Jiang Nian come out as well. Her expression didn't change as she held the slender cigarette between her dangling fingers, its tip burning silently.
Meeting again, they looked at each other without a word for a long while. The atmosphere was just as expected.
After a moment.
Jiang Nian spoke first. "Here to see Sister Ruan tonight?" Yao Ran usually only came to the bar to see Ruan Xin. In any case, it wouldn't be to see her...
"Mm," Yao Ran replied, then took another drag of her cigarette. But her mood was even less calm than before.
Jiang Nian didn't walk away. She had a gut feeling that Yao Ran was smoking to relieve her frustration, and that it had something to do with her. When Yao Ran rejected her confession that night, there had been a hint of anger in it.
Was it, as Qiu Lan had said, that she didn't trust her?
Rather than letting her sulk, Jiang Nian wanted Yao Ran to vent her emotions at her. She asked knowingly, "In a bad mood again?"
Yao Ran: "No."
Jiang Nian was blunt, calling her out directly, "You can't fool me. You're in a bad mood."
In a bad mood, and then what? Come to cheer me up again? To make my heart flutter? Yao Ran looked at Jiang Nian silently, suddenly realizing that she probably used these same tactics to flirt with other people. No wonder she was so popular.
Jiang Nian felt she was in deep. No matter what, it hurt her to see the other woman unhappy. Though she was shameless, she still had her pride. But this time, even though she had been rejected...
She didn't want to leave. She swallowed her grievance and said softly to Yao Ran, "I'll keep you company." It was only when Director Yao was in a bad mood that she had a chance to be close to her.
The words were familiar. Yao Ran thought of how she had been joyfully playing with others in the bar tonight, and a tightness suddenly gripped her chest. Just a few days ago, she had so earnestly said "I like you" to her.
She didn't know how much of it was true and how much was fake.
For a moment, Yao Ran's emotions slipped. When she spoke, her voice was no longer as calm as before. "You don't need to keep me company. Aren't there enough people in there for you to chase?"
Jiang Nian was speechless. It was the first time she had seen Yao Ran get angry with her. So she was angry that day too? Jiang Nian thought about the situation that day. Yao Ran had every right to be angry...
After realizing her slip-up, Yao Ran quickly regained her composure, but it was too late. Everything had been exposed in that one moment.
"Those were just regular friends tonight. It's not what you think. Why do you always misunderstand me?" Jiang Nian explained hastily, her words tumbling out. She stared at Yao Ran. "Are you jealous again?"
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