“Hey, President Lu.” Lin Chenghuan gently touched her own cheek, raising an eyebrow with a playful smirk.
“You really do have some strange tastes.” Lu Zhiwei responded with an amused expression, though something restless flickered in her eyes.
“Zhi…wei.” Lin Chenghuan enunciated the name with deliberate emphasis, feeling a sense of completion before eagerly leaning in for a kiss.
After what felt like an indeterminate amount of time, they found themselves collapsed on the sofa again, only to quickly remember they hadn’t showered yet.
Clearly, being newly together meant they weren’t at the stage of sharing a bath yet, so Lu Zhiwei returned to her own room to freshen up before coming back.
They had finished work at eight today, and by the time they were done tidying up, it wasn’t even nine yet, much more time than usual. After letting Lu Zhiwei in, Lin Chenghuan sat down struggling with her half-dry hair, eventually tossing the towel aside in defeat.
Just as she was about to casually tie up her hair, she noticed Lu Zhiwei’s gaze, both tender and intense, fixed on her. Meeting those unwavering eyes with a smile, she asked, “Does it look better down?”
“You look beautiful either way…” Lu Zhiwei replied with an embarrassed smile, though she truly found the sight of Lin Chenghuan arranging her long hair particularly captivating. Such an ordinary moment made their relationship feel intimately close.
Thus, no longer restraining herself, Lu Zhiwei quickly moved to sit beside Lin Chenghuan, pulling her, still carrying the fresh scent of her shower, into an embrace and kissing her without inhibition.
Lin Chenghuan allowed the boldness, but things gradually escalated beyond control. After what seemed like ages, she found a moment to catch her breath and whispered, “Should we… go inside?”
“Alright… let’s go.” Lu Zhiwei started to sit up, but Lin Chenghuan glanced at the display and exclaimed in surprise, “It’s already 9:20?”
“Huh? What’s wrong, is there not enough time?” Lu Zhiwei’s eyes darted around, seeming somewhat embarrassed.
Lin Chenghuan paused for a moment, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She gradually composed herself under Lu Zhiwei’s subtly scrutinizing gaze.
“Over two hours… should be enough. I was just surprised that another half hour had passed already,” Lin Chenghuan said, suppressing a laugh.
“Oh, I see.”
“But… I have a question.” Lin Chenghuan hesitated, unsure how to phrase it.
“What? Go ahead.” Lu Zhiwei grew wary, instinctively sensing it wasn’t anything good.
“Why did you ask if there’s enough time? Are you not very familiar with this? Could it be that you don’t have… experience in bed?” Lin Chenghuan asked suspiciously.
“…I do have some.”
“Oh, that’s good.” Lin Chenghuan nodded. Lu Zhiwei’s expression darkened as she questioned incredulously, “You seem happy, or rather relieved. Is that something to be glad about?”
“No, it’s just fair. The idea of the esteemed President Lu being too innocent… feels strange to me,” Lin Chenghuan replied with an awkward smile.
“Oh. Well, you might actually find it strange then. My ex and I only tried twice, and both experiences were rather unpleasant, so we mutually decided not to continue after that.”
“…” Lin Chenghuan was momentarily stunned, quickly stifling the urge to laugh, though scenes from earlier still flashed through her mind.
No wonder they were only engrossed in kissing for half an hour while wearing bathrobes, without taking the next step or even attempting to loosen their collars. For adults in the entertainment industry, this was far too innocent.
Though it was only their second day together, they had known each other for six years, and in a hotel with such a perfect setting… Just asking about the time earlier hadn’t been enough to raise her suspicions, but all these factors combined gradually made her feel uneasy.
“Who was your ex? Since you studied at a finance university, if you were in a relationship back then, they probably weren’t a public figure in the entertainment industry, right?” Lin Chenghuan asked with a sincere and curious expression, eager to learn.
“No, but she’s somewhat well-known in the financial circle too. Her name is Xu Yinuo.” Lu Zhiwei could see the barely suppressed amusement in her eyes and replied irritably.
“That name sounds familiar. Let me look her up.”
Lin Chenghuan only had a vague impression of this person, so she searched online. After finding the information, she suddenly understood: “Oh, the investment world’s lucky charm, often turning the impossible into reality.”
“Yeah.”
Looking at the photo of Lu Zhiwei’s ex on the search results, Lin Chenghuan’s mind flashed with the words “bad experience,” and she couldn’t help but chuckle softly again, unable to hold back.
The other woman also seemed like a strong, independent type. Could it be that when two aloof people come together, they become too lazy or reserved…
“Of course, she can’t compare to the ones you’ve dated. After all, after you broke up, she still came to your company to find you, and then the two of you went to a hotel together,” Lu Zhiwei said with a half-smile.
“…” Lin Chenghuan’s expression stiffened instantly. It really wasn’t ideal to have worked at the same company before, she’d witnessed everything.
“I almost thought you two were getting back together. I was so focused on preparing for potential PR crises that I didn’t even realize I was… feeling a bit upset.”
“Ahem, I… If only I hadn’t… Well, anyway, fate plays tricks.” Lin Chenghuan stumbled over her words, unable to articulate herself properly.
“Let’s not bring up those old stories for now.” Lu Zhiwei smiled indifferently, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes. She snatched Lin Chenghuan’s phone, set it aside, pinned her to the sofa, and kissed her.
The kiss, fueled by hidden anger, was indeed more unrestrained and uncontrollable than before. And this time, Lu Zhiwei finally reached for the sash of her robe. Were they really going to do it here…? Well, if it could soothe the other’s anger, a small space wouldn’t be a problem.
However, at a certain moment, Lu Zhiwei pulled away, breathless, and said, “Two hours… isn’t enough.”
“Mmm, you’re right. Stopping in the heat of the moment would just make for a long, lonely night, and it would interfere with filming.” Lin Chenghuan watched the other’s trembling eyes, suspecting she was getting cold feet. But even if that were the case, she couldn’t call her out on it.
Besides, there really wasn’t enough time tonight. Some feelings are fine if they never start, but once experienced, stopping midway becomes unbearable. So, for the sake of their mental and physical well-being, would they have to wait until after filming wrapped up and they returned home…?
In the past, when she was on set, she’d often wrap up around eleven or twelve at night, exhausted and with no energy to think about anything else. But this crew had spoiled her, she’d grown much more relaxed and carefree.
Come to think of it, could Lu Zhiwei be asexual? But her reactions during kissing suggested otherwise… No matter what, when the time came, she’d make sure to give her an unforgettable experience.
“So… maybe I’ll just let you have all the fun today?” Just as Lin Chenghuan was lost in her thoughts, Lu Zhiwei seemed to notice her suspicion. A dangerous glint flickered in her eyes as she whispered softly.
Lin Chenghuan was taken aback for a moment, then felt both annoyed and amused. Was she implying that she wouldn’t let her counterattack? So there really were people who didn’t want to just lie back and enjoy?
“Absolutely not,” Lin Chenghuan said, enunciating each word clearly.
However, within the limited time, even though Lin Chenghuan had intended for a back-and-forth, she couldn’t keep up with the changing situation.
Lin Chenghuan surrendered to the long-lost indulgence, holding back nothing. Lu Zhiwei had initially been somewhat nervous, but as she watched Lin Chenghuan’s demeanor, so different from usual, her heart trembled with an indescribable fascination. She almost wished the night would never end.
“Chenghuan…” Lu Zhiwei murmured softly, her eyes nearly bewitched.
“Mmm… Zhiwei…” Lin Chenghuan was somewhat dazed, her breathing completely erratic, yet she still responded in a tone that was utterly captivating, making Lu Zhiwei even more unable to pull away.
“You’re… insane… Stop it, let’s… rest for a bit.” By the end, Lin Chenghuan was on the verge of tears, her mind blank as she pleaded for mercy.
So, Lu Zhiwei eased up a little but didn’t let her go entirely. Time passed quickly, and if things continued like this, there would truly be no chance to take the initiative tonight.
Fine, I’ll let you regain your confidence as a top, seeing how nervous you were even about that at first… There will be plenty of opportunities in the future anyway. For today, I’ll just relax and enjoy.
Close to midnight, they finally let everything settle down. After a quick cleanup, they returned to the bedroom to sleep.
“Fall asleep early and try to get at least seven hours of sleep,” Lin Chenghuan said, already exhausted and quickly drifting into drowsiness.
“Mmm, goodnight,” Lu Zhiwei replied with a soft smile, gazing intently at her in the darkness, reluctant to look away.
The next day at 6:45, after they got up, Lin Chenghuan went out first. She sneakily glanced around and, seeing no one in the hallway, signaled for Lu Zhiwei to return to her own room.
At 7:30, they met punctually in the makeup room. When they saw each other, they exchanged only polite smiles before Lin Chenghuan initiated the greeting.
“Good morning, President Lu.”
“Morning, Chenghuan,” Lu Zhiwei said, trying to sound as composed and courteous as possible, though the corners of her eyes and brows were brimming with laughter.
Hearing her call her name, Lin Chenghuan couldn’t help but recall the tone in which Lu Zhiwei had whispered those two words in her ear the night before, and how she’d said the name felt even more evocative in certain moments… A blush crept onto Lin Chenghuan’s cheeks, and she could only pretend to be calm as she brushed past her.
They took their respective seats, applying makeup, hastily eating a few bites of food, touching up their makeup… A new round of filming soon began. They had many scenes together, following the script’s directions to portray moments of joy and sorrow, parting and reunion.
During breaks, they didn’t often sit together, yet they always found themselves unintentionally watching each other.
After two days of intimate closeness, Lu Zhiwei’s dreamlike feeling had faded somewhat, but she was still immersed in happiness and delight. As a result, many people on set noticed her unusual state.
“President Lu has been so happy these past couple of days. Did one of the dramas she invested in become a hit?” the lighting technician whispered to his apprentice.
“Haven’t seen any of Xia Yao’s new dramas blowing up… Maybe she received dividends from her investments,” the apprentice suggested.
“Possibly.”
Lu Zhiwei maintained this beaming, spring-like demeanor until work wrapped up at nine o’clock, when everyone bid their farewells and departed. However, Lin Chenghuan noticed that after finishing work, as Lu Zhiwei relaxed, she rubbed her eyes, a faint trace of weariness on her face.
At the hotel, Lin Chenghuan ran into Lu Zhiwei while heading upstairs. She raised an eyebrow with a slight smile, wondering if the other had been waiting for her somewhere on the first floor.
“What time did you sleep last night? Don’t tell me you didn’t fall asleep quickly,” Lin Chenghuan asked as the elevator ascended.
“Well… I guess I was delayed a bit, maybe half an hour at most.” Lu Zhiwei, who could finally look at her with burning intensity, felt a little guilty at the question.
“Six hours of sleep is already too little. Make sure to catch up on rest today,” Lin Chenghuan nodded.
“…” Though somewhat reluctant, Lu Zhiwei silently accepted this.
Back in her room, after washing up and tidying, Lin Chenghuan went to Lu Zhiwei’s. Lu Zhiwei, dressed in pajamas, opened the door with delight, something restless stirring in her eyes.
“I’ll leave at 10:15,” Lin Chenghuan said.
“…Alright.” So today, it would have to stop at just a kiss.