Indulgence - Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Seeing the jumble of messages Yao Qi had sent without getting to the point, Yao Ran asked Jiang Nian directly, "What did Yao Qi say to you tonight?"

Jiang Nian paused for a moment. Hearing Yao Ran's question, she answered in a low voice, "She said... your family arranged a blind date for you, that they want to push you to get married."

"No, I refused," Yao Ran immediately explained. It was true that it had happened, but she hadn't paid it any mind. She just hadn't expected Yao Qi to mention it to Jiang Nian.

"Mm," Jiang Nian nodded. She put on a relaxed and casual tone, but the disappointment and unhappiness were still written on her face.

Yao Ran stepped a little closer, looked at her, and said gently, "It's not what you think."

Jiang Nian mumbled, "I'm not overthinking it."

Yao Ran asked doubtfully, "Really?"

"I knew you would refuse." Jiang Nian smiled, then added, "You already have such a great girlfriend like me, you definitely wouldn't be interested in anyone else."

Yao Ran couldn't help but smile. She nodded, agreeing with her. "Mm."

After standing stiffly for a moment, Jiang Nian muttered, "I'm going to take a shower. I smell."

Yao Ran watched her go to the bathroom alone.

The smell of alcohol and barbecue smoke clung to her, an unpleasant mix. Jiang Nian stood under the showerhead, letting the water run over her from head to toe. She was a bit lost in thought and didn't pay much attention to the time, so her shower tonight was a little longer than usual.

Yao Ran showered in the guest bathroom. When she was done and walked into the bedroom, she found that Jiang Nian was still in the shower. She sat down in the armchair and casually flipped through a book.

A while later, the sound of the shower inside stopped. She heard Jiang Nian drying her hair, so she put down her book and walked over.

Jiang Nian had changed into a nightdress and was facing the mirror, blow-drying her messy, wet hair.

Seeing this, Yao Ran walked over, took the hairdryer from her hand, and stood behind her to help.

Jiang Nian glanced at her in the mirror but said nothing, standing obediently still.

As Yao Ran dried her hair, she looked at her from time to time. She was so quiet tonight, it wasn't like her at all.

The damp hair slowly became fluffy and dry. After a long while, Yao Ran put down the hairdryer and, looking in the mirror, reached out to tidy the slightly messy long curls.

Seeing that it was done, Jiang Nian turned to leave.

But Yao Ran stood her ground, not moving aside. The moment Jiang Nian turned, they came face to face, their bodies brushing against each other in an intimate way.

Yao Ran stared at her.

Jiang Nian pressed her lips together.

Seeing her expression, Yao Ran thought for a moment, then took the initiative to ask, "You don't believe me?"

Although it seemed like they had moved on from the topic as if nothing had happened, Jiang Nian was terrible at hiding her feelings. Her slight dejection was obvious, and Yao Ran had seen it all.

"No," Jiang Nian denied, looking at Yao Ran's gentle and considerate expression. "It's just..."

Yao Ran looked back at her. "Just what?"

"Yao Qi said you're not someone who values relationships that much, that you might marry someone you don't love," Jiang Nian said after some thought, finally telling her what was making her uneasy.

When she heard Yao Qi say that, her heart had indeed been filled with apprehension. She believed that Yao Ran's feelings for her were genuine, but she worried that this relationship wasn't that important in Yao Ran's heart, that it might be ranked as "secondary." After all, love wasn't everything in life, and she imagined Yao Ran would feel that way even more so.

The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Jiang Nian was a little dispirited, especially when it came to the idea of Yao Ran marrying someone else. She couldn't accept it, not even as a thought.

Yao Ran looked down at her. Having gone through such an experience once herself, she understood Jiang Nian's concerns.

Jiang Nian asked with a wronged look, "Is that true?" She stared directly at Yao Ran, needing a firm and definite answer to calm her unease.

Yao Ran shook her head and stroked her hair soothingly.

But Jiang Nian's eyes were still filled with grievance. On one hand, she didn't believe Yao Ran would abandon her; on the other, she felt what Yao Qi said was realistic, especially since Yao Ran had indeed once been with someone she didn't love...

In any case, her mind was suddenly a mess tonight.

Before, she wouldn't have considered these things so much. But now, she hoped for a long future together, so hearing those words inevitably made her sensitive.

"I didn't care much before because..." Yao Ran said softly, her gaze fixed on Jiang Nian's face as she confessed, "I had never met anyone I wanted to care about, nor did I think I would ever particularly like someone. I felt those things were optional."

That was why she had been able to treat marriage like a transaction back then—because she simply didn't care.

Jiang Nian's heart began to beat faster. She continued to stare at her earnestly, pressing for an answer, "And now?"

Yao Ran gazed into her eyes, paused, and told her, "You are very important."

If she hadn't met Jiang Nian, she would probably still be living a solitary life as calm as still water, a life that was neither particularly good nor bad. After meeting Jiang Nian, her life had changed a great deal, but from the bottom of her heart, she liked this change and wanted to cherish it.

Very important. Jiang Nian instantly felt at ease. In Yao Ran's heart, she was an important and special existence.

Yao Ran rarely said such things. Perhaps it was precisely because she was so calm and rational that when these words came from her lips, they felt exceptionally sincere and romantic.

Jiang Nian smiled.

Yao Ran gazed at her face, stood there for another moment, then took the initiative to pull the woman before her into a hug.

Jiang Nian pressed into her embrace.

Yao Ran stroked her head, leaned in, and whispered by her ear, "Don't overthink it."

Jiang Nian hummed an "mm" into her shoulder. This sufficiently warm embrace enveloped her completely in a gentle sense of security.

After holding Jiang Nian for a while, Yao Ran let her go.

Jiang Nian was a little unsatisfied, wanting to be coaxed a bit more. But comforting people was probably Director Yao's blind spot. She just glanced at Yao Ran and said nothing.

Before bed, Yao Ran took another work call that lasted quite a while. When she finished, she looked up and saw that Jiang Nian was already lying in bed.

Yao Ran walked to the bedside and looked at the person in bed.

Jiang Nian wasn't asleep yet. She looked at her quietly.

Yao Ran lay down on the bed as well. After a moment, she glanced in Jiang Nian's direction. Jiang Nian was lying there primly and properly, which, contrary to expectations, made Yao Ran feel unaccustomed to it.

The rustle of the duvet broke the silence. She turned on her side and asked in a low voice, "Did you drink a lot tonight?"

Jiang Nian murmured in reply, "No."

After that simple exchange, it was quiet again.

Yao Ran hesitated for a moment. Instead of waiting for Jiang Nian to come closer, she took the initiative to move toward Jiang Nian's side and then naturally wrapped her arms around her.

The familiar, beloved scent of her body enveloped her. Jiang Nian was taken aback, her heart immediately stirring.

After hugging her, Yao Ran asked softly, "Still unhappy?"

Hearing this string of concerned questions, Jiang Nian secretly smiled to herself.

It felt like tonight...

Director Yao was trying so hard to coax her girlfriend.

Jiang Nian shifted slightly in her arms to face her and answered with a straight face, "No."

She still said no, but she'd clearly been in a bad mood all evening. Yao Ran was a little at a loss; she really wasn't good at cheering people up. In their relationship, it was usually Jiang Nian who took the initiative in all sorts of ways.

Their eyes met for a few seconds.

Yao Ran: "Then why are you ignoring me?"

Jiang Nian held back a laugh, her eyes wandering over Yao Ran's face as she muttered, feigning ignorance, "How am I ignoring you?"

Yao Ran was at a loss for words... Saying any more would be a little embarrassing.

She silently hugged Jiang Nian a little tighter, her other hand gently and slowly stroking her hair. She continued to gaze at her cheek, her eyes filled with a soft tenderness.

Their faces were so close, and being stared at like this, Jiang Nian, hopeless as ever, immediately felt her heart soften. She just discovered that Director Yao knew how to be affectionate too...

She stared, unable to get enough, wanting to see more.

Yao Ran could tell she was just waiting to be coaxed a little more. She smiled and stroked Jiang Nian's head, then leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth.

After being kissed, Jiang Nian couldn't help but reveal a smile. She had only been pretending to be calm; at this point, she was being driven crazy. Just a light kiss was enough to make her breathing turn ragged.

Seeing her smile, Yao Ran asked softly, "Feeling better now?"

Jiang Nian couldn't hold back her laughter anymore, the curve of her lips becoming more pronounced. But she still didn't hug Yao Ran back, instead saying stubbornly, "No, not quite."

Yao Ran loved seeing Jiang Nian's willful smile; it made her lose her composure... and she acted on it directly. Lowering her eyes slightly, she pressed a kiss onto Jiang Nian's soft lips.

Jiang Nian clearly saw how she leaned in to kiss her, and her heart pounded.

Yao Ran carefully supported the back of her head, deepening the kiss by several inches.

The kiss was scorching and sweet.

"Mm," Jiang Nian hadn't been kissed for more than a few seconds before she let out an involuntary hum. Her arms, completely beyond her control, wrapped around Yao Ran's waist, subconsciously pulling their bodies closer.

Yao Ran slowly released her lips and tongue. She looked down at her, then brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead, her fingertips lightly touching the delicate skin.

At this moment, her soft gaze seemed even more endearing. Jiang Nian's heart raced for a long time. She loved these little gestures from Yao Ran, like stroking her head and touching her hair. Though subtle, every little touch was brimming with affection.

Jiang Nian let her stroke her hair, a smile in her eyes. It was rare for this outwardly reserved woman to be so earnest about coaxing someone tonight. She held onto Yao Ran without letting go and asked in a husky voice, "Are you trying to seduce me tonight?"

Yao Ran's brow furrowed. She could always be rendered speechless by the things Jiang Nian came out with, but she also found it amusing. For a moment, a captivating smile spread across her lips.

When she wasn't smiling, she gave off a gentle yet distant impression. But when she smiled like this, only the gentleness remained.

Jiang Nian stared, feeling as if her very soul was being bewitched. She had reached her limit; she couldn't maintain a shred of composure in front of Yao Ran. She leaned in and pecked her on the lips, then took her lower lip between her own, sucking on it urgently and greedily.

She was finally paying attention to her. Yao Ran met her kiss, instinctively adjusting her angle to let her kiss her more easily.

Just kissing her lips wasn't enough. Jiang Nian also kissed her cheeks, her chin, and her neck, as if staking her claim everywhere with her lips. She kissed her a little forcefully, unable to imagine Yao Ran being this intimate with anyone else. She could only be hers.

Yao Ran's fingers threaded through Jiang Nian's fluffy, messy hair. She lowered her head and took the initiative to capture Jiang Nian's lips and tongue, letting Jiang Nian cling to her and demand a deep kiss. "Mm."

Jiang Nian kissed her for a long time before finally letting go. She hugged Yao Ran tightly, full of possessiveness.

Yao Ran was more used to her being this shameless. Seeing Jiang Nian staring at her intently, she asked, "What is it now?"

Jiang Nian thought for a moment, then said, her heart pounding, "If you want to get married, it can only be with me."

She said it with firm conviction.

Yao Ran's gaze softened. She smiled. "Mm."

Jiang Nian smiled too. In truth, the words Yao Ran had said to her earlier—"You are very important"—were enough to keep her happy for a very, very long time.

She stared at Yao Ran for a while longer, then couldn't resist slowly bringing her lips to hers again. As she kissed her, she pushed her luck, saying, "I want to 'bully' you."

Yao Ran paused for a moment, looked at her, and sighed in an extremely soft voice, "Okay."

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