She stood there without blinking. As she lowered her head slightly, the top of Luo Yanzhi’s jet-black hair appeared in her peripheral vision, soft and fluffy, rubbing gently against her abdomen.
In the past, Ning Ruohuan would always feel happy seeing this scene; it made her feel wholeheartedly needed.
She spread her fingers loosely, and after a moment, curled them back into a faint fist. After repeating this several times, the suffocating stagnation gathered in her chest still refused to dissipate.
Ning Ruohuan slowly exhaled: “I’m being unreasonable?” she countered. “Yanzhi, was it that you didn’t have time to reply, or were you simply unwilling to waste time on me?”
She couldn’t understand how Luo Yanzhi could claim to love her while simultaneously ignoring her feelings with such self-righteousness.
“Even if you only took one minute—no, just a few seconds,” Ning Ruohuan said. “Are you truly unwilling to even go through the motions of prevaricating with me?”
Luo Yanzhi’s expression darkened. She pushed the person she was holding away, a wave of irritation rippling through her pale pupils. “I’m already back, and you’re still dwelling on this? I told you, I’m busy with work. As my fiancée, can’t you be a little more understanding? I’ve already lowered myself to coax you; what more do you want?”
She stood up and walked around Ning Ruohuan, picking up a glass of water from the table that had been poured at some unknown time. She took a few sips to moisten her lips, leaning her back against the edge of the desk. “Sister, I really don’t want to expend any more energy on these insignificant matters. Know when to stop, alright?”
She mastered the balance perfectly—applying pressure first, then softening her attitude, making it impossible for others to vent their remaining anger. One could only swallow it down.
With her back turned to Luo Yanzhi, Ning Ruohuan’s expression was hidden. Her delicate features were partially covered by shadows, her silhouette appearing lonely and desolate.
Luo Yanzhi frowned slightly, holding the flat-bottomed glass with two fingers by her leg. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Ning Ruohuan’s voice.
Ning Ruohuan seemed moved by those few words, her tone becoming as gentle as it had always been: “I understand you’re busy with work. It seems I really was being unreasonable.”
Luo Yanzhi tilted her head, sensing that something felt slightly off.
In a steady, clear voice, Ning Ruohuan said: “The way we interact has always been like this. For me to suddenly demand things from you now… it is a bit much.”
She turned around and met Luo Yanzhi’s gaze. “You just got back. Go take a shower first, and I’ll go make you something to eat.”
Her attitude had softened completely. She stepped forward, took the glass from Luo Yanzhi’s hand, and placed it back on the table. “That was poured hours ago. Don’t drink it; it’s not good for your health.”
Luo Yanzhi stared at her for a few seconds. After confirming there was no hidden resentment or unusual expression, she nodded. “No need, I ate before I came back.” She paused, then flashed a bright smile. “Sister, it was my fault first. I’ll make it up to you later, okay?”
Ning Ruohuan gave a quiet “Mhm.”
Luo Yanzhi entered the bathroom.
The servants had already cleaned up the fallen flower pot. Ning Ruohuan went to the balcony to move the remaining potted plants further inside and carefully put away the small scissors to ensure no one would get hurt.
By the time she finished and returned to the bedroom, Luo Yanzhi had not yet emerged from the bathroom.
Ning Ruohuan sat at the head of the bed, her gaze unfocused, staring into nothingness.
Suddenly, she let out a soft chuckle. How could Luo Yanzhi possibly think she was in the wrong? She was still just prevaricating.
In an instant, that wave of exhaustion returned. She massaged her forehead and opened her phone to check her recent messages.
There was a small red dot in the message box—spam.
Ning Ruohuan waited a moment before opening it. She clicked the spam message and then tapped the link inside. The interface jumped instantly.
Spam Message: Boss, when is the next Ability Value test scheduled?
Ning Ruohuan briskly typed a few words: In one month.
After sending it, she deleted the message. The interface returned to its clean state, as if nothing had happened.
Ning Ruohuan opened her palm, and a tiny, virtual hourglass materialized. The grains of sand inside fell one by one at a pace visible to the naked eye.
The bathroom door clicked. Ning Ruohuan closed her hand, and the hourglass vanished without a trace.
Luo Yanzhi’s hair was still damp, hanging loosely behind her. Her silk pajamas were slightly wet, and stray water droplets rolled down, disappearing into the fabric.
Ning Ruohuan still felt distressed for her: “Why didn’t you dry it? You’ll catch a cold.” She entered the bathroom, took the hairdryer from the second shelf, and handed her the water she had just poured. “Freshly poured.”
Luo Yanzhi took it with a smile: “I wanted Sister to help me wipe it dry.”
She sat down lazily, taking Ning Ruohuan’s service for granted.
As the warm air flowed out, Ning Ruohuan tested the temperature with her hand to ensure it wouldn’t burn Luo Yanzhi. Then, she lifted Luo Yanzhi’s beautiful hair, aiming the dryer and meticulously drying it with patience.
Once it was nearly dry, Ning Ruohuan turned off the dryer.
The bedroom curtains were drawn. Luo Yanzhi’s long hair was scattered across the pillow, intertwining with Ning Ruohuan’s hair. They were so close that they could hear each other’s breathing.
Luo Yanzhi hooked her arm around Ning Ruohuan’s neck, looking up with hazy eyes. Her fingertips brushed back and forth against Ning Ruohuan’s lips. Her breath hitched, her chest heaving, occasionally letting out an uncontrollable murmur.
Perhaps unable to restrain herself, she arched her upper body, biting down hard on Ning Ruohuan’s shoulder to weather the surging sensations.
Ning Ruohuan pulled her hand away, caressing Luo Yanzhi’s face with pity. She waited until the other woman had calmed down somewhat, then leaned down to gently take Luo Yanzhi’s lips in hers, soothing the agitation.
A faint metallic scent of blood filled their mouths. Ning Ruohuan pulled away and tilted Luo Yanzhi’s chin up, forcing her to open her mouth. She checked carefully, thinking Luo Yanzhi had accidentally bitten herself in the heat of the moment.
There was no wound. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Luo Yanzhi hadn’t quite come down from the high yet. Her nose was beaded with sweat, and she looked on blankly as Ning Ruohuan turned her head this way and that to inspect her mouth.
Finally, Ning Ruohuan dropped a comforting kiss.
Afterward, Luo Yanzhi knelt on the bed, her slender fingers pulling aside Ning Ruohuan’s clothing. Her fingertip pressed lightly against the bite mark on the shoulder: “Does it hurt?”
The faint scent of blood from earlier had come from Luo Yanzhi biting Ning Ruohuan’s shoulder.
“It’s alright.” Ning Ruohuan leaned back against the pillow. Now that she had calmed down, she felt the pain when she lifted her arm, noticing the wound for the first time.
Luo Yanzhi leaned back against her and said with a smile: “It’s a pity it will heal. It can’t stay forever; otherwise, it could be my exclusive mark.”
Ning Ruohuan: “…Mhm.”
“By the way,” Luo Yanzhi asked, seemingly casual. “The day Yin Fan came to the house, you were the one who received her? I heard from the butler that the two of you were alone in the drawing room for a few minutes. What did you say to her?”
Here it was again.
She thought Luo Yanzhi wouldn’t ask, but it turned out she was just waiting for this moment.
Ning Ruohuan didn’t really want to speak, but in Luo Yanzhi’s eyes, her reaction looked entirely different.
Luo Yanzhi’s casual tone now carried a hint of danger: “That day you were in the same car as Wan Yunxin, and this time you were in a room alone with Yin Fan.” She smiled thinly. “Who is it next time? Bo Ruoyan? What are you planning to do with her alone, Sister?”