Bai Mu Ning thought Wen Jing was poisonous. Otherwise, why had his lips been dry and uncomfortable ever since that kiss?
Drinking water didn’t help. His lips were still chapped and peeling, especially after licking them. They even burned a little.
He drank water the entire morning until he was full, barely eating anything for lunch.
After lunch, during break, Bai Mu Ning curled up behind the cashier counter playing games. One of his usual noontime pastimes, since there was nothing else to do.
He wasn’t diligent enough to study during lunch break. He used to go bother Wen Jing at this time, but ever since that kiss that didn’t really count as a kiss, Bai Mu Ning had rarely shown his face around Wen Jing.
He was afraid Wen Jing would get annoyed with him.
He had worked so hard to build this relationship. If it all went to waste because of that, then all his efforts would be for nothing.
Now, Bai Mu Ning was playing the long game of falling for someone over time while working. Of course, he hadn’t given up on Mr. Zhou’s assignment. If he could still do it, he would. Only if there was no way forward would he back out.
He was still in the observation phase with Wen Jing. If Wen Jing had already drawn a clear line with the client’s boyfriend, then there was no need for seduction.
Maybe they could even become friends.
If you took out the romantic aspect, Wen Jing was actually pretty good in terms of day-to-day life.
People really couldn’t escape the power of a thought. Just as he thought of Mr. Zhou, a WeChat message came in.
Mr. Zhou was his employer. Bai Mu Ning would rather offend his matched game teammates than ignore Mr. Zhou, so he immediately quit the game and replied to Mr. Zhou as fast as possible.
[Mr. Zhou: How’s the progress going?]
[Bai Mu Ning: The task is more difficult than Mr. Zhou described. I’m still working on getting closer to the target.]
[Mr. Zhou: When can you seduce him away? I need his attention off my partner. I’m desperate. My partner is about to leave me.]
Mr. Zhou really did love his partner. Even though his partner had cheated and been unfaithful, he still chose to forgive him.
He even pretended not to know and hired Bai Mu Ning to deal with the third party in the relationship.
He never once spoke ill of his partner in front of Bai Mu Ning. He always praised him as kind-hearted, soft, and easily deceived.
He firmly believed that the affair was the result of someone else seducing and pestering his partner—that his partner was innocent.
At first, Bai Mu Ning had followed Mr. Zhou’s lead, treating the male mistress as the worst kind of scum.
But after spending some time on this assignment, Bai Mu Ning began to feel that Mr. Zhou’s words were a little one-sided and maybe not entirely true.
In his impression, Wen Jing was a serious and responsible doctor who treated his patients well. While he could be sharp-tongued, there was absolutely nothing immoral about him.
Maybe Mr. Zhou had misunderstood something.
Bai Mu Ning was still thinking about how to gently bring this up to the employer when another message came in. A photo, clearly taken in secret. It only showed a back view, blurry and distant.
[Mr. Zhou: They went to a hotel today. I’ve been following them.]
[Mr. Zhou: I hope you can intervene in their relationship as soon as possible. Make him fall for someone else as soon as possible. If not, I will deal with this in my own way.]
There was a clear note of “if I go down, I’m taking them with me” in Mr. Zhou’s words. Bai Mu Ning was startled.
But even so, he still couldn’t believe it. He enlarged the photo and looked at it again and again.
Even though it was blurry, Bai Mu Ning could still recognize that familiar silhouette—it was Wen Jing.
He really went to a hotel?
So he took the day off just to meet his lover?
A flicker of anger rose in Bai Mu Ning’s chest. He clenched his phone tightly, biting down on his lip, and finally shut the device off in frustration.
Some people might look decent on the outside but have absolutely no morals. Don’t they know they shouldn’t be eating from someone else’s plate?
Zhuang Yumian came back from the bathroom and saw Bai Mu Ning all puffed up with anger. She quickly asked, “Xiao Ning, what’s wrong? Who made you mad?”
There was no way Bai Mu Ning could tell Zhuang Yumian about any of this, so he just said, “Got matched with a shitty teammate. Got screwed over.”
Zhuang Yumian was worried at first, but the moment she heard that, she relaxed. “What’s there to be mad about? Getting a decent teammate is a low-probability event. That’s why everyone prefers playing with people they know.”
“Want jiejie to take you flying?”[1]
Bai Mu Ning really wasn’t in the mood. He couldn’t understand how Wen Jing could be that kind of person?
Just a few days ago, they were still flirting. Now he was in someone else’s bed? What was he, a master of time management?
The more Bai Mu Ning thought about it, the angrier he got. But soon, he realized why was he even angry? Was it because the filter he had on Wen Jing had shattered?
It was just like being a fan and finding out your idol had a scandal.
The Wen Jing from Sanwen Hall had fallen from grace. No, he had probably fallen long ago.
Zhuang Yumian handed him a small bun and said, “You barely ate lunch. No appetite?”
Bai Mu Ning lazily slumped over the table and muttered, “My lips are dry. I drank so much water I’m full.”
Zhuang Yumian pinched his cheek and said, “Let me see. They’re peeling and cracked. Have you been licking them a lot?”
“You shouldn’t lick your lips so much in the winter. The low temperatures make it easier for them to dry out and crack.”
As she spoke, Zhuang Yumian started rummaging through her makeup bag.
Not long after, Zhuang Yumian pulled out an unused lip balm and said, “Here, it’s new. You can use it!”
Bai Mu Ning had no idea how to use it. He didn’t even have any female friends around him.
Zhuang Yumian saw how clueless he looked and laughed. “I’ll put it on for you. Come on, pout your lips.”
Bai Mu Ning obediently pouted. Just as the lip balm was about to touch his lips, someone called his name.
Both Bai Mu Ning and Zhuang Yumian looked over. Standing in front of the cashier was Wen Jing, who had just come back from outside.
“Bai Mu Ning, come here for a second. I need to talk to you.” Wen Jing’s face looked unpleasant, and his tone was a bit harsh.
Zhuang Yumian capped the lip balm and handed it to Bai Mu Ning. “Here, you do it yourself. I can’t help you anymore.”
With that, she busied herself with her phone and didn’t even dare look at Wen Jing.
Bai Mu Ning held the lip balm and glanced at Wen Jing’s coat. The camel-colored overcoat was exactly the same as the one in the photo.
So did he just came back from having a good time?
Bai Mu Ning gripped the lip balm tighter and followed Wen Jing into the consultation room.
Wen Jing shut the door and started taking off his camel coat, changing into his white coat.
He sat down in his chair and stared at Bai Mu Ning. “What’s with that look on your face?”
“Nothing,” Bai Mu Ning said, not looking at him, still simmering with anger. “My lips are dry, they’re unbearable.”
Wen Jing beckoned him over. “Come here, let me take a look.”
Bai Mu Ning walked over and leaned down slightly. It almost looked like he was about to kiss him.
And just that thought made Bai Mu Ning even angrier. Wasn’t it Wen Jing who said that was his first kiss that day?
Big liar. Not a single truthful word out of his mouth.
“Dr. Wen, where were you this morning?” Bai Mu Ning didn’t realize how much he sounded like a jealous wife checking up on her husband. He just wanted to confirm if the photo was real.
But Wen Jing’s evasive gaze was a clear sign of guilt, and that only made Bai Mu Ning more certain that Mr. Zhou had been telling the truth that Wen Jing had gone to a hotel with someone.
Bai Mu Ning made to straighten up, but his arms were suddenly grabbed by Wen Jing. With a trace of warning in his voice, Wen Jing said, “You’re getting pretty close to Zhuang Yumian. Doesn’t your baby get jealous?”
“Then what about you getting so close to someone else’s boyfriend. Doesn’t your conscience hurt?” The moment Bai Mu Ning said that, he regretted it. Why was he trying to provoke Wen Jing?
Wen Jing’s grip tightened, and Bai Mu Ning winced in pain with a soft hiss.
Wen Jing’s gaze darkened. He took the lip balm from Bai Mu Ning’s hand, twisted it open, and pinched his cheeks to apply it for him.
His touch was gentle and focused, and his voice slowed to a deliberate pace. “Dry, chapped lips don’t mean you’re thirsty. The spleen opens to the mouth, and its vitality reflects in the lips. Yours are like this because your spleen and stomach are weak. I’ll prescribe something to strengthen them. Make sure you take it.”
“I don’t want to.” With his cheeks being pinched, Bai Mu Ning’s words came out in a pout. There was no bite in them. He sounded more ridiculous than intimidating. Follow the newest chapters on novelping . com.
Wen Jing let go of his face and pressed gently on the back of his neck instead, pushing Bai Mu Ning to lean down even further, almost close enough for a kiss.
Wen Jing’s thumb brushed over his lips as he said, “Bai Mu Ning, don’t make me say it a second time.”
Bai Mu Ning braced himself against the armrests, resisting Wen Jing’s hold. The retort on his tongue spun around a few times but was eventually swallowed back down. Instead, he muttered, “Got it.”
Wen Jing released him, and Bai Mu Ning was free again, though the back of his neck still felt like it was burning. He reached back and touched it.
Still indignant, Bai Mu Ning huffed coldly, “You could’ve just talked. What were you doing putting lip balm on me?”
Earlier, Wen Jing hadn’t exactly been gentle. His thumb had traced from the corner of Bai Mu Ning’s mouth across his lower lip to the other side, even brushing against his teeth.
Bai Mu Ning really wanted to ask: Did you even wash your hands after getting off?
Wen Jing, meanwhile, was focused on his computer, getting ready to turn it on. He said offhandedly, “Oh, I applied too much. Just wiped off the excess for you.”
“…?”
If you’re going to make up an excuse, at least put some effort into it. That was just straight-up perfunctory.
That night, back at the dorm, Bai Mu Ning finished washing up and sat in his chair, spacing out.
He kept thinking about everything that happened during the day, turning it over and over in his mind.
He just couldn’t understand. Why did Wen Jing go meet his lover?
And that moment when Wen Jing’s thumb slid across his lips, it had completely messed with his head.
Li Anche came in from outside, clearly exhausted. He dropped his briefcase and asked, “Ning, what’s wrong?”
He slumped into his chair. The two of them both looked pretty beaten down.
Bai Mu Ning glanced at him, looking a little deflated. “You? Got tormented again today?”
Going to work felt like torture for Li Anche. He wasn’t from the right major, had no relevant experience, and the job was insanely demanding with tons to learn.
On top of that, because he got in through connections and received special treatment, he was being isolated by his coworkers. Every day was miserable.
“Sigh, what day haven’t I been tormented?” Li Anche said as he started taking off his clothes. “But what about you? I thought your job was super chill?”
Bai Mu Ning just sighed and didn’t answer.
Work wasn’t the problem. Men were.
“Oh right, here,” Li Anche took out two movie tickets from his briefcase and handed them to Bai Mu Ning. “Hotpot cinema, courtesy of the company. You can eat hotpot while watching a movie. Take someone else, I’m way too busy these days.”
Bai Mu Ning accepted the tickets with a word of thanks, then beckoned him over. “An An, come here.”
Li Anche walked over warily. “What?”
Still seated, Bai Mu Ning mimicked Wen Jing’s move from earlier that day. He placed a hand on the back of Li Anche’s neck and pulled him toward him, then reached up and brushed his fingers across Li Anche’s lips.
Li Anche froze for a moment before quickly snapping out of it. He stumbled back several steps, even bumping into a chair but too shocked to feel any pain. He frantically rubbed at his lips with his hand. “F**k, Bai Mu Ning. I treated you like a brother and you’re trying to seduce me?”
He grabbed a nearby shirt and dramatically hugged himself tight.
“What are you even thinking? Why would I seduce you? I don’t even like men. I just wanted to test what that move meant to you guys.”
Bai Mu Ning asked uncertainly, “Is that seduction?”
“What else would it be?” Li Anche let out a sigh of relief. He only had feelings for Zheng Kejian and didn’t like anyone else, so he was extra sensitive to this kind of physical intimacy.
Li Anche explained, “That’s someone trying really hard to hold themselves back from kissing you. Who did that to you?”
Bai Mu Ning started to snort and refuses to answer the question on the grounds that he was sleepy.
He climbed into bed and tried to coax himself into sleep, but his brain stayed wide awake, replaying what Li Anche had just said.
So Wen Jing actually wanted to kiss him?
Bah. Scumbag.
[1] To carry him/Help him win.