Indulgence - Chapter 59
Chapter 59
When the two returned home, the city lights were just beginning to glow, and a multitude of stars twinkled in the night sky.
Si Mao seemed to have been waiting at home for a long time. The moment the door opened, he eagerly wagged his tail and trotted over, whining affectionately.
Jiang Nian smiled and said, "Si Mao will keep you company. I'll go make dinner."
"Together."
Yao Ran didn't let her work alone.
Jiang Nian didn't refuse. The two of them preparing dinner together in the less-than-spacious kitchen felt warm and pleasant.
Doing anything with the person you like is enjoyable.
Jiang Nian had already prepped the ingredients. Yao Ran watched her, head bowed and movements practiced, feeling a little surprised—especially since she was wearing a sexy, vibrant slip dress, creating a strong sense of incongruity…
She glanced at Jiang Nian's profile. Flirtatious even when cooking.
Although Qiu Lan had teased Jiang Nian for being a "kitchen killer," that was only because she hadn't cared about such things before. She was like that with many things—appearing careless when she didn't put her mind to it, but capable of doing an excellent job once she got serious.
She only started learning to cook after getting together with Yao Ran. Her goal was simple: she just wanted to be better at taking care of someone.
She was quite bothered by the fact that Yao Ran always thought she was immature.
Yao Ran wasn't skilled at these things; she was usually busy and had no need to cook. Jiang Nian was the main chef for the evening, with Yao Ran assisting on the side.
Learning to make a few home-cooked dishes wasn't difficult, and Jiang Nian looked quite the part tonight. After plating the last dish, she picked up a piece of shrimp, blew on it gently, and brought it to Yao Ran's lips.
Yao Ran saw it and opened her mouth to accept it naturally.
Jiang Nian asked softly, "How is it? Is my cooking okay?"
Yao Ran nodded in praise. "Mm."
Having received a compliment, Jiang Nian tilted her head and asked even more smugly, "Are you happy to have such a beautiful and capable girlfriend?"
Yao Ran simply smiled and watched her, letting her be unrestrainedly smug. When Jiang Nian smiled like that, her eyes sparkled, and she was indeed very beautiful and captivating.
Amidst soft laughter and conversation, the two of them put together a fine dinner.
Tonight, Jiang Nian had made three dishes and a soup, and she had also specially prepared a small bowl of seafood longevity noodles. The spread was rich, but the portions weren't large—just right for two people.
People with an artistic background seemed to have a romantic streak in their bones. Looking at the plating on the table, Yao Ran thought it could rival that of an outside restaurant. She was looking at Jiang Nian in a new light.
Jiang Nian had also prepared a mousse cake. The two of them might not be able to finish it, but a sense of ceremony was still important.
She lit the birthday candle. The flame flickered, its faint light dancing across their faces. Jiang Nian asked, "Last time, I said I owed you a birthday wish. What do you want?"
Yao Ran remembered. At the time, she had just thought it was one of Jiang Nian's flirty jokes. "That's not necessary."
But Jiang Nian was serious. "It is. This is the first birthday we're spending together."
Yao Ran really couldn't think of anything she wanted.
So Jiang Nian said, "If you haven't thought of anything, you can save it for later. Anyway, I owe you a wish. You can cash it in whenever you want."
Making a birthday wish, blowing out the candle. Yao Ran's wish was similar to previous years, nothing more than hoping for everything to go smoothly…
Jiang Nian served her some food. "I checked. Your birthday next year falls on a weekend. We can go on a trip."
Yao Ran smiled. "This year isn't even over, and you're already thinking about next year?"
"I'll spend every birthday with you from now on."
The words were like a confession.
Yao Ran smiled knowingly. Jiang Nian's smile was sweet, and so were her words.
After dinner, Jiang Nian brought over a large gift box, sat down on the sofa, and urged, "Birthday present. See if you like it."
"What is it? It's so big."
"You'll know when you see it."
It was a heavy gift box. When Yao Ran opened it, her gaze was captured and held fast. It was a framed oil painting—a canvas full of blooming white begonias, with a familiar figure beneath them.
Yao Ran recognized herself. "You painted this?"
"Mhm. From the first time I saw you."
The image of love at first sight is always fresh in one's memory.
Yao Ran remembered Jiang Nian mentioning it before—that the first time she saw her was under the begonia tree outside the bar. Staring at the richly colored oil painting, she could vividly imagine the scene from that time.
It was a beautiful, romantic, and heart-stirring scene.
Yao Ran looked at Jiang Nian. She was completely different from herself, romantic by nature.
Jiang Nian asked, "Do you like it?"
"I do," Yao Ran replied softly. The brushwork was delicate and exquisite; it was clear that a lot of effort had gone into it. "When did you paint it?"
"After you told me your birthday, I decided I wanted to give you this painting." Jiang Nian asked again, "Isn't it beautiful?"
Yao Ran nodded. "Mhm."
Jiang Nian raised an eyebrow. "Praising yourself, aren't you quite shameless too?"
Yao Ran smiled and retorted, "More than you?"
Jiang Nian laughed outright. Every time she managed to make Yao Ran laugh, she herself would be overjoyed. She remembered that Director Yao didn't used to smile this much.
The evening passed lazily. The two of them sat on the sofa watching TV, chatting and laughing from time to time, while Si Mao slept obediently by their legs.
Jiang Nian had a craving and cut a slice of birthday cake for dessert, occasionally feeding a bite to Yao Ran.
Yao Ran wasn't particularly interested in sweets, but seeing Jiang Nian's enthusiasm, she ate a few bites here and there. Watching TV and eating together, they finished most of the slice without realizing it.
Jiang Nian offered another bite to Yao Ran's lips.
This time, Yao Ran didn't take it. "I can't eat anymore. You have it."
"Okay." Jiang Nian continued to eat with relish, finishing off the rest of the cake.
Watching Jiang Nian's hearty appetite, Yao Ran couldn't help but ask, "How can you eat so much? Where does it all go?"
Jiang Nian did have a good appetite; she exercised regularly, and her work was physically demanding. Hearing Yao Ran's question, she turned her head, stared at Yao Ran for a moment, and murmured with a smile, "Where all my meat has gone, don't you know best?"
Yao Ran was at a loss for words.
But Jiang Nian just smiled shamelessly. "Am I wrong?"
Yao Ran: "…So improper."
Jiang Nian continued to gaze at Yao Ran's face, thinking of the contrast between her professional demeanor and her passion when they were intimate. She whispered ambiguously to Yao Ran, "I think the ones who always pretend to be proper are the truly improper ones."
"…"
Yao Ran looked back at her, feigning a cold expression.
Jiang Nian yielded quickly. "I was wrong."
Yao Ran broke into a sudden, gentle smile.
Just then, Jiang Nian tilted her head and leaned comfortably against the shoulder beside her, snuggling close.
The night was tranquil.
With Si Mao nestled by her legs and Jiang Nian clinging to her side, Yao Ran's brow relaxed into a smile. She turned to look at the face resting on her shoulder. This seemed to be the most peaceful and simple birthday she had ever had—no boisterous celebration with a crowd, just the heartwarming company of one other person.
Her gaze quietly swept over Jiang Nian's cheek, and Yao Ran found herself a little lost in thought. When making her birthday wish this year, she had thought a little more, and her thoughts had unconsciously drifted to Jiang Nian…
She had originally been prepared for a long life alone, but now, she hoped the two of them could stay like this forever.
Going off-plan was perhaps not as bad as she had imagined.
Jiang Nian turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting the gaze of the person beside her. After a moment of quiet eye contact, she asked in a small voice, "Are you a little more used to it now?"
Yao Ran: "Hm?"
Jiang Nian asked, "Are you used to having a girlfriend?"
Yao Ran didn't answer with words. Because as they drew closer, she leaned in and gently kissed the corner of Jiang Nian's lips, an act of pure instinct…
When the gentle kiss landed on her lips, Jiang Nian was still resting on Yao Ran's shoulder. It was so unexpected that her heart seemed to stop for a second. She remained in the same position, feeling the warm kisses fall one after another on her lips. She closed her eyes, her heart beginning to pound violently.
The kiss was very gentle, but Jiang Nian felt like her heartbeat was about to explode. They had kissed so many times, with varying degrees of depth and passion, yet at this moment, a series of butterfly-light kisses was making her world spin.
Yao Ran lowered her head, gently sucking and kissing those soft lips. When she received an equally gentle kiss in return from Jiang Nian, she couldn't stop herself and continued kissing her.
Being kissed so proactively, Jiang Nian thought she must be dreaming. But the distant, ascetic scent of perfume and the searing touch on her lips were so real—both things she was crazy about. While letting Yao Ran kiss her, she straightened up and wrapped her arms around Yao Ran's waist.
Yao Ran's palm cupped her cheek, holding her face as their lips remained pressed together in a ceaseless kiss.
Jiang Nian had thought this kiss would be brief, but it wasn't. She felt as if her entire body had been kissed into a state of blissful weakness, the moist, hot kisses still spreading.
They had both had some red wine tonight, and now, as they kissed, their breaths carried a faint aroma of wine mixed with the sweetness of cream cake—a gentle, sweet, and utterly captivating combination.
When they finally parted, Yao Ran knew she had lost control and initiated a long kiss. But this time, she didn't avert her gaze or act deliberately reserved as she usually would.
The kiss just now hadn't been particularly deep, but Jiang Nian was so excited she was left breathless. As their eyes met, the blush on her cheeks deepened. To be kissed so proactively and gently, and then stared at like this—it was just too much.
After the kiss, they remained in a partial embrace. Jiang Nian was still a little dizzy. "Are you drunk?"
Yao Ran paused, then answered in an extremely soft voice, "No."
Jiang Nian thought about it; it couldn't be drunkenness. They had only had a little red wine tonight, not even enough to be considered tipsy. Gazing at each other from up close, she broke into a smile, then said with a hint of wistfulness, "You're so hard to pursue…"
It was a rather random comment, but it was only tonight that she felt like they were truly together.
Yao Ran: "But you caught me, didn't you?"
"Actually, that night when you said you weren't used to having a girlfriend, I was a little sad… Sometimes I wonder if you only agreed to be my girlfriend because I was so shameless and persistent," Jiang Nian murmured with a smile, an unexpected sting in her nose.
Being the only one making a move gets tiring, doesn't it? Yao Ran's gaze softened even more. "It's not like that." She knew how rational she was; she would never settle for someone so carelessly.
"Do you like me?" Jiang Nian had been gathering her courage for a long time to ask Yao Ran this question. She hadn't dared to ask easily, afraid of getting a hesitant reply.
A smile touched Yao Ran's lips. "I do," she said seriously.
Jiang Nian hugged her again, smiling in relief. She had finally heard the two words she had longed for. She wasn't one for subtlety; she wanted to be liked in a straightforward way, too.
They held each other tightly, the sweet affection spreading between them again. Jiang Nian leaned toward the person before her, her approach a tantalizing dance of advance and retreat.
Yao Ran felt as if Jiang Nian's restless eyes had hooks in them, both sweet and alluring. As she drew a little closer, Yao Ran's heart stirred, and she leaned in to kiss her again.
In front of Jiang Nian, she had to get used to not holding back.
"Mmm—" The moment their lips met, Jiang Nian started to laugh. She would occasionally half-open her eyes, thinking that Yao Ran was impossibly seductive when she kissed—gently cradling the back of her head, her touch as gentle as could be even as her soft tongue slipped past her lips to demand a deeper kiss.
As she was being kissed, Jiang Nian's smile soon faded, and she began to respond with focused passion. In a pause between kisses, she fumbled to turn off the TV. The entire room fell silent, leaving only the ambiguous sounds of their deep kisses.
Jiang Nian's waist went soft. She pulled Yao Ran down onto the sofa with her and gave a playful smile. Her gaze roamed over Yao Ran's face. "More."
Yao Ran smiled helplessly.
"I want…" Jiang Nian wrapped her arms around her waist, smiling as she pressed closer and closer.
Yao Ran loved to see Jiang Nian smile. After a brief glance, they were kissing again amidst soft laughter. Once she stopped holding back, the defensive line in her heart completely broke. All her reserve was cast aside, leaving only affection.
"Mm," Jiang Nian panted continuously. Just from a kiss, she felt like she was going to go crazy. She had never dared to hope for a honeymoon period with Yao Ran…
But this moment proved that it existed. They held each other by the waist, pressed together. Their kisses tonight were exceptionally passionate and lingering, filled with love.
As they kissed deeply, their embrace tightened. The scents of their perfumes mixed completely. Though one was cool and ascetic and the other warm and seductive, whenever they came together, they would always ignite a prairie fire of passion and desire.
Only they understood this feeling.
"Mmm—"
Jiang Nian let out a long hum.
Yao Ran rested her forehead against hers. "What is it?"
Jiang Nian's voice turned soft and languid. "It feels too good."
Yao Ran kept her eyes on Jiang Nian's face, watching her cheeks slowly flush under her kisses, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction. She continued to kiss her, no longer restraining her possessiveness toward Jiang Nian.
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