Indulgence - Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Jiang Nian caught Yao Ran's hand just as she was about to pull it back. Otherwise, a certain someone would have pretended nothing had happened. She stared at Yao Ran as if she'd caught her red-handed.
"I'll let you touch me, for as long as you want." As she spoke, she leaned her face closer, inviting Yao Ran to continue.
The situation was already awkward, but seeing Jiang Nian's roguish, fawning expression, Yao Ran couldn't help but let out a small laugh. A faint curve appeared at the corners of her lips before quickly vanishing.
Watching her smile faintly in the twilight, Jiang Nian couldn't look away. She pressed her lips together and smiled, growing even more audacious. Secretly touching someone's face while they were sleeping…
Typical of someone so reserved.
Under Jiang Nian's cheeky gaze, Yao Ran quietly withdrew her hand.
"You don't have to be so tense in front of me," Jiang Nian told her casually. "You can do whatever you want. Anything."
It was a willful thing to say. Yao Ran was used to being told what she should do; rarely did anyone tell her she could do whatever she wanted. Thinking about it, it was true. Around Jiang Nian, it seemed she could be anyone she wanted. She didn't have to be rational all the time; she could be impulsive, indulgent, and even unlike herself.
Perhaps that was why she felt a sense of unrestrained freedom when she was with Jiang Nian, a lightness in her heart.
Before they knew it, night had fallen.
Jiang Nian looked at the night sky, then turned to Yao Ran and suddenly asked, "Did you see the shooting star?"
Yao Ran also looked up. "No."
"Then you missed a wish," Jiang Nian lamented with a sigh.
Yao Ran gazed into her eyes, which were crystal clear in the darkness.
A bright smile bloomed on Jiang Nian's red lips as she casually asked, "When's your birthday? I'll make it up to you with a birthday wish then."
Yao Ran finally realized she was just talking nonsense, but it was a romantic and gentle kind of nonsense, especially against the backdrop of the night sky. She frowned slightly and retorted in a meticulous tone, "Is this how you ask everyone for their birthday?"
Jiang Nian was taken aback.
What kind of allergic reaction to romance was this?
A moment later, Yao Ran's soft reply broke the silence. "The last day of next month."
August thirty-first. Jiang Nian silently committed it to memory. "I'll celebrate with you next month," she said with a smile.
Yao Ran listened, her face showing little reaction, but a sliver of anticipation bloomed in her heart nonetheless.
"My birthday already passed this year. April first, April Fool's Day," Jiang Nian offered. "You can celebrate with me next year."
Yao Ran was at a loss for words. She didn't know how to respond. She had met all sorts of people, but none were as forward and shameless as Jiang Nian, who could say anything without a hint of a blush.
Jiang Nian laughed, seeing Yao Ran hesitate. "I know what you want to say. Thick-skinned—"
Yao Ran's brow furrowed slightly. "..."
She loved teasing the stoic woman until she was speechless. Jiang Nian's smile grew even more unrestrained.
This time, Yao Ran truly couldn't hold back. She instinctively reached out and pinched Jiang Nian's cheek.
Jiang Nian was too surprised to react, frozen in a daze.
"It is pretty thick..."
Yao Ran murmured.
The overly intimate little gesture seemed to push their hazy, undefined relationship in a clearer, more distinct direction.
Jiang Nian was reminded of their passionate kiss in the art studio. She couldn't help but let her eyes drift down to Yao Ran's red lips. If they were to kiss now, it would surely be even more beautiful and romantic than that night.
In the current atmosphere, the same image flashed through Yao Ran's mind. Just then, a gust of wind blew Jiang Nian's long hair across her face, tickling her.
"There you guys are. Not heading back yet?" A friend's voice called from a short distance away. "There are so many mosquitoes. I'm being eaten alive."
Yao Ran immediately turned to look. The others were walking over from their stroll, Ruan Xin among them.
"Yeah, let's go back," Yao Ran said, getting up from the bench. The mosquitoes by the lake were indeed numerous, especially after dark.
Jiang Nian had no choice but to get up as well.
The group walked back to the hotel. They were staying the night and had plans to visit a small, nearby water town the next day.
When they reached their rooms, Xu Xia looked at Yao Ran. "Sister Ran..."
Seeing the young woman stammer, as if she had something to say but was too embarrassed, Yao Ran prompted her, "What is it?"
"Can I switch rooms with you?" Xu Xia asked. "I'm not feeling well."
They had all booked double rooms. Ruan Xin and Yao Ran were together, while Xu Xia was with Jiang Nian. The two rooms were right next to each other.
At Xu Xia's words, the group fell silent.
Yao Ran understood what Xu Xia meant. The girl was quite dependent on Ruan Xin. If she wasn't feeling well, she probably wanted to be with Ruan Xin to feel more at ease.
Ruan Xin glanced at Xu Xia. "Where are you not feeling well?"
Xu Xia looked back at Ruan Xin and said convincingly, "I feel dizzy..."
Ruan Xin shot her a subtle look. In the past, she would have believed her, thinking the girl was too honest to lie. Only later did she discover that Xu Xia had plenty of tricks up her sleeve.
Since Xu Xia had put it that way, Yao Ran assumed she was in a difficult spot and smiled at her. "Alright, you can stay with your sister."
Ruan Xin couldn't help but interject, "I'm not her sister." Hearing Yao Ran say that made her feel awkward.
"Thank you, Sister Ran," Xu Xia said obediently.
"It's nothing," Yao Ran replied coolly.
After Xu Xia's little speech, the room arrangements for the four of them were adjusted. Jiang Nian sensed something fishy about Xu Xia; she felt the girl was up to something.
Ruan Xin was a little puzzled. Yao Ran didn't seem to mind sharing a room with Jiang Nian and wasn't trying to avoid suspicion. She wondered... were these two really planning on having a purely platonic relationship?
They switched rooms.
After closing the door, Ruan Xin stared at Xu Xia, who was standing by the entrance. "Are you really not feeling well, or are you faking it?"
"I want to share a room with you," Xu Xia said honestly.
Just as she thought.
"I never realized you were such a good liar," Ruan Xin said helplessly. The words had barely left her mouth when she felt a warmth on her lips as the person before her kissed her.
Ruan Xin's voice softened. "What are you doing?"
"You said last time I don't have to ask before kissing you." Xu Xia pecked the corner of her mouth, then wrapped her arms clingingly around her waist and whispered, "I've wanted to kiss you all day, but there were people around."
Getting bolder and bolder. Ruan Xin chuckled softly at her. "You've got some nerve now."
"How much longer are you going to hide me?" Xu Xia asked in a small, slightly aggrieved voice. Even on a trip, she wasn't allowed to share a room with her.
Ruan Xin had indeed been trying to avoid suspicion in front of her friends. It wasn't that she was afraid of being teased for cradle-robbing; she was afraid Xu Xia wasn't mature enough yet, that her feelings were just a whim. Perhaps the novelty would wear off, and the younger girl would quickly grow tired of her. Making it public too soon wouldn't be good for Xu Xia.
Yao Ran also moved to the other room.
Sharing a room again, the two of them seemed less awkward than the last time.
Jiang Nian remembered the night they had slept in the same bed when nothing had happened. Their current interactions were as pure as could be compared to before. Back in the room, Jiang Nian said to Yao Ran, "Director Ruan and Xu Xia's relationship doesn't seem so simple."
"It's not like that," Yao Ran cut off Jiang Nian's train of thought. "Didn't you hear Xu Xia call Ruan Xin 'sister'?"
Jiang Nian smiled, finding Director Yao's slowness in matters of romance a little cute. "Calling someone 'sister' is..."
"Is what?" Yao Ran asked when she trailed off.
Jiang Nian hesitated for a moment before saying it. "Calling someone 'sister' is a kind of thrill."
A thrill? Yao Ran didn't understand, nor did she want to continue this line of conversation. She explained, "Xu Xia is ten years younger than Ruan Xin."
Hearing the tone of Yao Ran's voice, Jiang Nian was stunned. Was she really that concerned about age? She gave a dry laugh. "It's not that big of a deal, really..."
Yao Ran was somewhat surprised. "Not a big deal?"
"If you like someone, age shouldn't be a problem, right?" Jiang Nian said.
Yao Ran didn't say anything more. Perhaps everyone had a different level of acceptance. In her view, two people with a large age gap were not suited to be together.
Jiang Nian wanted to probe further and ask what kind of age difference she could accept, but as she looked at Yao Ran, she hesitated and held her tongue.
"You can shower first."
"You go ahead," Yao Ran said. "I need to reply to some emails."
"Mm," Jiang Nian hummed.
More than half an hour later, Jiang Nian emerged from the bathroom to find the workaholic still busy on the sofa. She silently watched her for a few extra moments. A mature woman, when focused, was utterly captivating.
Sensing her gaze, Yao Ran looked up and saw that Jiang Nian was out of the shower. She had changed into a dress. In her memory, Jiang Nian didn't own a single piece of clothing that didn't flatter her figure, and that included her sleepwear.
Their eyes met for a second before Yao Ran quietly lowered her head again, as if she hadn't seen a thing.
She was acting so calm and unbothered. Jiang Nian felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment. Was she pretending to be indifferent, or had her interest in her body waned? She thought about how she had tried to seduce Yao Ran when she was drunk last time, but it seemed to have no effect...
Yao Ran was still busy.
Jiang Nian did her simple skincare routine.
Another twenty-odd minutes passed before Yao Ran finally took her robe and went into the bathroom to shower.
Jiang Nian had to admit her thoughts weren't as pure as Yao Ran's. The sound of the rushing shower filled her mind with vivid images—of the two of them together. She loved being in the bathroom, loved holding each other face to face, both of them soaked to the skin, kissing frantically, wanting each other. The image of Yao Ran, dripping with water, so cold and alluring, losing control and going limp at the moment of climax.
Jiang Nian had drunk more than half a bottle of water by the time she heard the shower stop.
She had taken the hairdryer out after her own shower. Hearing that Yao Ran was done, she waited a moment, then picked up the hairdryer and knocked on the glass door of the bathroom.
Yao Ran had already changed into her robe. Thinking Jiang Nian needed to get something, she opened the door.
Jiang Nian saw Yao Ran's semi-damp hair. Although the robe was of the most conservative and restrained style, it still made her heart skip a beat. The last time, she had been too drunk to pay much attention. This time, sharing a room and having to remain chaste was a kind of "torture" for her.
"Do you need the hairdryer?" It took Jiang Nian two seconds to speak.
"Yes." Yao Ran reached for it.
"I'll dry it for you."
"There's no need."
"You helped me last time," Jiang Nian said, plugging it in. She stood beside Yao Ran and began to dry her hair.
Jiang Nian wasn't particularly good at taking care of people—otherwise, Qiu Lan wouldn't complain that she was heartless—but right now, the way she was drying Yao Ran's hair was incredibly gentle and considerate. It turned out that when you liked someone, many things just came naturally.
Yao Ran looked at their hazy reflection in the fogged-up mirror. She could have been more forceful and refused, but as she glanced at Jiang Nian's smiling face, her head bowed in concentration, she didn't... Deep down, she enjoyed this kind of contact.
Jiang Nian remembered how Yao Ran would secretly touch her cheek, so under the pretext of drying her hair, she subtly pressed her body closer to Yao Ran's.
It was a very slight, natural movement, but Yao Ran felt a little flustered, especially as the light mist on the mirror slowly cleared, revealing Jiang Nian's face, her bare shoulders, neck, and collarbone.
Slender fingers gently ran through her hair, tousling it. The two had shared a passionate night together, which made this simple action feel exceptionally sensitive.
Jiang Nian didn't know if Yao Ran's feelings for her had faded, only that her own desire for her had only grown. She'd never realized she could be so insatiable...
But she didn't think there was anything wrong with it. When you liked someone, your body was bound to be more sensitive. A mind full of improper thoughts was just a sign of how much you liked them.
"Is it done?"
Yao Ran quietly took a breath and asked for a reminder.
"Mm." As Jiang Nian put the hairdryer away, she noticed a mosquito bite on Yao Ran's wrist. "You got bitten," she said softly. "You should put some medicine on it."
Without the noise of the hairdryer, the room was quiet enough to hear each other's breathing. Hearing Jiang Nian's soft, gentle voice, Yao Ran's heart fluttered in disarray again.
Jiang Nian had several bites herself, which were already much better after applying some ointment.
The moment Yao Ran came out, Jiang Nian pulled her down to sit on the edge of the bed. She sat beside her, picked up a small tube of ointment, and began to carefully apply it to her wrist, her head lowered in concentration.
The ointment had a cool, minty scent, but it wasn't enough to cover the fragrance emanating from their necks and shoulders. Both of them were too distracted by the scent to focus.
"Anywhere else?" Jiang Nian asked.
"I can do it myself," Yao Ran said quietly, rubbing the back of her own neck.
"On your neck, too?" Jiang Nian leaned in to look, reaching out to part Yao Ran's hair.
"No," Yao Ran said, a little flustered. "My neck and shoulders are just a bit tired."
Jiang Nian realized it wasn't that Yao Ran was no longer sensitive to her, but that she was just too good at feigning indifference. She put down the ointment and said softly to Yao Ran, "Let me give you a massage. I sometimes get one to relax after working for a long time. I know a little."
Yao Ran's first instinct was to refuse, but Jiang Nian just looked so earnest and concerned that her own sensitivity would seem impure in comparison.
Jiang Nian gently swept her hair aside, revealing a beautiful, fair nape. She paused for a second, then began to knead Yao Ran's shoulders with a practiced air.
"Feel better?" Jiang Nian chatted as she massaged. "You don't usually get massages, do you?" she guessed.
"No." Sitting in the office for long periods did make Yao Ran's neck and shoulders tired, and a massage would have helped a lot. But she didn't like being touched by others, so she never went out for them.
"If you're tired in the future, I'll massage you."
Yao Ran remained silent.
Although Jiang Nian wasn't a professional, her massage was effective enough to relieve fatigue. She joked, "Director Yao, am I doing okay?"
The joke kept Yao Ran's wandering thoughts at bay, but a moment later, as Jiang Nian's hands moved to the back of her neck, she felt her breath begin to spiral out of control. She frowned and bit her lip.
Jiang Nian fell silent too. Inadvertently, their bodies had become quite intimate.
"Should I be gentler?" Jiang Nian asked in a low voice. Her throat was dry and itchy, but she forced herself to endure the feeling, trying her best to control her impure thoughts, afraid that Yao Ran would once again think her affection was purely physical.
After another moment of massage, Yao Ran's frown deepened. Knowing this couldn't continue, she didn't turn to look at Jiang Nian, only saying very softly, "That's enough..."
Jiang Nian's breathing quietly quickened. "Lie down," she said in a gentle voice. "I'll massage your lower back."
Yao Ran turned to refuse, only realizing after she had turned that it was "inappropriate" for them to look at each other right now. She gazed softly at Jiang Nian, and the words Jiang Nian had said earlier popped into her head: do whatever you want.
"Mm..."
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