Indulgence - Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Hearing Jiang Nian say that, Yao Ran replied meticulously, "You took care of me last time when I was sick."
Is that all? Jiang Nian watched her, pressing her lips into a smile. "Does Director Yao always keep such a clear tally of things?"
Yao Ran tacitly agreed with Jiang Nian's assessment. It was true; she didn't like being indebted to people. She felt that accompanying her this time was simply what she ought to do.
Reminded by Jiang Nian, Yao Ran also felt her "company" for the evening was about done. She asked, "Are you going to stay here longer? I'll be leaving then."
"..."
Jiang Nian immediately shook her head and turned to look at Si Mao. "Si Mao, I'll come see you tomorrow. You be a good boy here."
The two of them walked out of the pet hospital together. Yao Ran gave Jiang Nian a ride, dropping her off at the studio.
As she got out of the car, Jiang Nian asked, as usual, if she wanted to come up to the studio for a bit. Then, just as expected, she received a very measured "No, thank you."
Standing on the street, Jiang Nian watched the car disappear into the night, spacing out for a while.
"Can't bear to see her go, huh?"
Jiang Nian heard a voice behind her and turned around.
There were no customers in the shop at the moment, so Qiu Lan was on the first floor, idly playing on her phone. Seeing Jiang Nian return, she had walked outside. She saw Jiang Nian staring in the direction the car had left, unable to tear her eyes away.
"How did it go?"
Qiu Lan asked again.
"He got his first shot, and there are a few more to go. Si Mao's at the hospital now. The vet said he'll be fine," Jiang Nian said. As she came back to her senses, her arm started to feel uncomfortable; the injection site was still throbbing with a dull ache.
Qiu Lan said, "I was asking about you and the woman who just left."
Jiang Nian played dumb. "What about us?"
"The person you've been so hung up on lately, that's her?" Qiu Lan confirmed her suspicion.
Jiang Nian didn't try to hide it, smiling as she said, "How did you know?"
So it really was her. Qiu Lan was somewhat surprised. She had originally thought that the person who could captivate a flirt like Jiang Nian would most likely be an even bigger flirt, a siren, but she never expected it to be a cool, almost ascetic woman. Though, the other woman's aura was indeed outstanding.
"It wasn't hard to guess. Your eyes were glued to her," Qiu Lan said bluntly. Besides, there was an obviously "improper" feeling to their interactions.
"Hey, any progress tonight?" Although Qiu Lan wasn't too optimistic about this kind of entanglement, she couldn't help but ask out of concern.
Progress? Jiang Nian replied to Qiu Lan with a single word: "None."
Qiu Lan said half-jokingly, "Is there anyone Miss Jiang can't charm?" It was true. For someone so beautiful, proactive, and passionate, finding a partner shouldn't be difficult.
Jiang Nian thought for a moment. "She's different." Her usual tricks didn't seem to work on Director Yao.
Qiu Lan still wasn't used to seeing Jiang Nian so serious. This time, it looked like she was for real. "Jiang Nian, you're not going to fall for real this time, are you? Finally, someone who can handle you."
She was used to seeing others pine for Jiang Nian; she never thought she'd see the day Jiang Nian was pining for someone else.
Jiang Nian remained silent. Hearing Qiu Lan's words, the first thought that popped into her head was that if she could be "handled" by Yao Ran, she would be more than willing, but...
So frustrating.
She had never felt so frustrated before.
Standing under the tree, the two continued to chat idly.
Qiu Lan: "Seriously, I feel like she might care about you a little."
Jiang Nian: "You think so?"
"Otherwise, why would she go to the hospital with you and drive you back? You're not dating, so there's no need to be so dedicated, right?" Qiu Lan said, analyzing the situation. A hookup was usually just for physical gratification; why would it get so messy and drawn out?
Jiang Nian was lost in thought, but then she remembered Yao Ran's cool, detached explanation and said lightly, "I accompanied her before, too. She's just returning the favor..."
Qiu Lan raised an eyebrow. "If she really didn't want any other connection with you, would she even care about returning a favor?"
Jiang Nian looked at Qiu Lan but didn't say anything.
Only the two people involved truly know the matters of the heart; it was hard for an outsider to say much. Qiu Lan fell silent. In any case, her gut told her that Jiang Nian was in for a long entanglement this time.
"Alright, seeing as you were pitifully bitten by a dog tonight, go home and get some rest early," Qiu Lan said, wanting to laugh.
It was pitiful... Jiang Nian was listless and felt tired as well.
She got home early today. Jiang Nian flopped onto the sofa and put on a movie to pass the time. Staring at the TV screen, her mind couldn't help but wander. Seeing each other today had stirred that itch in her heart again.
The more reserved and aloof Yao Ran was, the more she couldn't help but think about the way she looked when she was overcome with passion in front of her. If their first time was purely a physical impulse, an accident, then what about the second time?
You could feel the difference when there was emotion involved in bed...
Last time, they had spent almost the entire night kissing intimately, neither wanting to stop.
Jiang Nian rolled over on the sofa. She felt Qiu Lan had a point. In fact, she also had a faint feeling that Yao Ran's attitude of avoiding her wasn't that resolute.
So...
Was she just being reserved and putting on an act?
As she was mulling things over, Jiang Nian received a WeChat message. It was Ruan Xin, asking when she was free and saying she wanted to invite her to an archery range.
She remembered Ruan Xin had asked about this on her Moments feed last time.
Jiang Nian was easygoing about it. She sometimes went alone anyway, so having company would be nice.
Ruan Xin and Jiang Nian had similar personalities. Neither of them sweated the small stuff, and they both hated being constrained by rules and conventions. Because of this, Ruan Xin really enjoyed interacting with Jiang Nian, and the two had grown closer since they met.
They arranged a time when they were both free and went to the archery range to relax.
After a few rounds, the two took a break. Ruan Xin asked Jiang Nian, "Are you free the night after tomorrow?"
Jiang Nian wiped the sweat from her forehead. "What's up?"
"It's my birthday. I'm treating you to dinner and karaoke. You in?"
Jiang Nian answered quickly, "Of course."
Ruan Xin studied Jiang Nian for a moment, then said bluntly, "If you're coming for Yao Ran, then don't bother. She has a business dinner that day and won't have time."
"I've been so bored lately. Of course I'll join in on the fun," Jiang Nian said with a smile. "But I might not make it for dinner. I can join for karaoke later."
Ruan Xin was fine with that. "That works. I'll send you the address then. Just come over when you're free."
-
Excluding days off, the studio's appointments were mostly concentrated in the evenings, so it wasn't easy for Jiang Nian to meet up with friends for dinner. Most of her gatherings happened after nightfall.
That evening, Jiang Nian didn't get off work until after nine. Ruan Xin had sent her the KTV's address early on, so she drove straight there after finishing up.
She arrived at the destination around ten.
Jiang Nian found the private room and pushed the door open. A wave of alcohol smell hit her. Ruan Xin had quite a few friends there, and everyone was having a great time singing, drinking, and playing games.
It seemed like everyone in the room had been waiting for her for a long time. As soon as she entered, someone smiled and shouted, "She's finally here! It's the pretty sister."
Lately, Jiang Nian had been dressing in a sophisticated style and had gotten used to being called 'sister'. She walked over to Ruan Xin, handed her the small gift she had prepared, and said, "Happy birthday."
"Thanks." Ruan Xin had probably had a lot to drink and was already a bit tipsy. A girl next to her tried to stop her. "Don't drink anymore. You've had so much tonight."
The girl who spoke looked familiar to Jiang Nian. It was the one Ruan Xin always had with her, Xu Xia.
"You should have some juice," Xu Xia said, pushing a can of juice into Ruan Xin's hand.
Ruan Xin was helpless, laughing at her. "Why are you acting like a little old cadre?"
Xu Xia was insistent. "You've had too much tonight. Don't get drunk."
Ruan Xin's gaze was lazy, almost flirtatious. "You'll take care of me even if I get drunk."
Xu Xia paused, then said with a hint of seriousness, "If you get drunk again this time, I'm not taking care of you."
Ruan Xin picked up the juice and stopped drinking alcohol. She took a sip and asked the young woman, "Is this better?"
Jiang Nian found it amusing to watch. It's true that everyone has their match; it was rare to see Ruan Xin so compliant. She casually found a place to sit. Ruan Xin must have said something beforehand, because as soon as she arrived, everyone started clamoring for her to sing.
Ruan Xin also urged her, "Don't be shy. Everyone's been waiting for you to sing."
Jiang Nian didn't really feel like singing today; she wasn't in the right mood. But she had promised Ruan Xin she would come tonight, and it wouldn't be right to stand her up.
The microphone was thus shoved into her hand.
"Pick a song first. What do you want to sing?"
The atmosphere in the room was heating up when the door was pushed open again.
Jiang Nian looked over along with everyone else and saw an elegant figure standing at the door, looking capable yet gentle.
Jiang Nian froze for a moment, microphone in hand. Didn't she say she wasn't coming...
Yao Ran's eyes immediately found Jiang Nian, who was sitting in the center, high-profile and conspicuous as always. She wasn't surprised. Ruan Xin liked a lively birthday, so she would most likely invite Jiang Nian.
"Are you done with work?"
Ruan Xin asked Yao Ran.
"Yeah. Happy birthday." Yao Ran handed her gift to Ruan Xin. She had a business dinner tonight and hadn't planned on coming, but on second thought, she felt it was better to make an appearance. After all, every year on her birthday, Ruan Xin would unfailingly give her a gift right on time.
"It's fine even if you don't come." Ruan Xin exchanged a few pleasantries. Sometimes, she felt quite helpless about Director Yao's principles; everything had to be just so.
"It was on the way," Yao Ran said with a smile, finding an empty seat. It wouldn't be appropriate to leave right after arriving.
Jiang Nian lowered her head. There was only one person between them; they weren't far apart. But Yao Ran didn't even spare her a glance. She knew they would have to pretend to be "unfamiliar" again tonight.
"Want a drink?"
Jiang Nian heard the person next to her ask. She smiled and shook her head. "I'm on my period today, can't drink."
Yao Ran vaguely overheard. No wonder she was less boisterous than usual.
"Jiang Nian, sing!" Ruan Xin didn't forget to urge her. She had just spent a long time bragging to everyone about how beautifully the person who was coming could sing, so she definitely wouldn't let it go. "Everyone's waiting."
"Yeah."
"We're all waiting."
Jiang Nian really wasn't in the mood, but she never did things that would spoil the fun for others. Pestered by a crowd of people, she had to sing at least one song tonight.
"Perfect timing, Director Yao is here too. She loves hearing you sing," Ruan Xin said, her voice tinged with drunkenness. "We didn't get to hear enough last time at Moments. You have to sing a few more tonight."
At that, Yao Ran immediately looked at Ruan Xin, frowning silently.
Ruan Xin had had a bit too much to drink and was speaking nothing but the blunt truth tonight, without much consideration. She grinned at Yao Ran and even started to argue her point. "Am I wrong?"
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