Chapter 152: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (27)
Yu Nian simply replied with a question mark.
She was at Wanda’s branch office, learning the ropes under Yu Wanru’s watchful eye. She had felt bad for not replying to Dai Yan’s earlier messages and had been planning to invite her to dinner.
But she hadn’t expected such outrageous gossip to be circulating.
What the hell is “master/pet literature or dynamic?”
Yu Nian stared at the picture and the rumors, seeing her own demeanor beside Su Mingxiu, lost in thought.
She had thought she would look happy, but the picture showed her looking preoccupied.
“Yu Nian?”
The person explaining the company’s investment strategies put down his laser pointer, thinking she was confused, and paused.
Yu Nian, as if startled awake in class, quickly caught up, hiding her distraction.
After the meeting, she returned to her desk, finished her work efficiently, then looked at the black and white photo again—her head lowered, Su Mingxiu adjusting her collar.
The Bulgari Serpenti necklace and ring were eye-catching, a touch of luxury.
As if…
…she was Su Mingxiu’s pet.
Yu Nian finally understood the source of her complex emotions. It was because Su Mingxiu was now more powerful than her, even more so than Yu Wanru, the mountain that had always loomed over her. This newfound power made Su Mingxiu seem distant, unfamiliar, and Yu Nian felt a pang of self-doubt, a worry that she wasn’t good enough.
But this… wasn’t Su Mingxiu’s fault.
After all, Su Mingxiu had left the show because of her, no longer under Yu Wanru’s control, this was a good thing.
If she continued to hesitate, to be more timid than before, why would Su Mingxiu wait for her?
Su Mingxiu must have many admirers now.
Finally making up her mind, a sense of clarity washing over her, she sat up straight, then realized that her work had already been reviewed by the vice president.
But there was no feedback yet. She sent a message to Su Mingxiu: “Are you free tonight? I’d like to have dinner with you.”
*
Half an hour earlier…
Su Mingxiu was looking at a picture Sheng Qian had found of her and Yu Nian, a thoughtful expression on her face. “This is a good photo, should I hire this photographer as my personal paparazzi?”
She had been too focused on Yu Nian’s feelings during their meeting to notice anything else, even taking Yu Nian straight back to the dormitory instead of her apartment, to give her time to process everything.
But a week had passed, and Yu Nian had vanished, no messages, no calls. Su Mingxiu’s patience was wearing thin.
If the little one didn’t make a move soon, she would.
She replied to Sheng Qian: “Have you considered that this picture is good because the models are beautiful, not the photographer?”
Sheng Qian: “?”
Sheng Qian: “You’re right, but please don’t say that again.”
Su Mingxiu sent him a sarcastic emoji, saved the picture, and leaned back on the sofa in her office, thinking about how to lure Yu Nian out for some “education.”
But before she could come up with a plan, the opportunity presented itself.
—Yu Nian had sent her a message.
Seeing the dinner invitation, she smiled and replied with a simple “Okay,” then approved her own early leave and went to choose an outfit.
*
7 PM, a bustling commercial street.
Yu Nian, seeing the black Bentley parked by the roadside, put her employee ID in her pocket and walked over to the driver’s side. “Has the Ferrari fallen out of favor?” she asked as she opened the door.
Su Mingxiu, putting on a pair of sparkly gold and pink high heels, her long, manicured toes slipping into the shoes one by one, then gracefully got out of the car, letting Yu Nian close the door.
She was wearing a long, ombre grey and black dress, its layered skirt like shimmering lights, the subtle colors surprisingly elegant on her.
She turned to Yu Nian, a smile on her lips, her words laced with a hint of sarcasm. “I thought CEO Yu was too busy to remember a mere idle person like me.”
This made Yu Nian laugh.
She had been planning to apologize, but hearing Su Mingxiu’s words, she knew that she was still important, still remembered.
She reached for Su Mingxiu’s hand, a playful glint in her light-colored eyes. “Have you been thinking about me?”
Su Mingxiu, anticipating her move, dodged her hand and walked towards the bustling street, locking the car. “I’m also very busy,” she said, implying that she didn’t have time to think about anyone.
But the smile on Yu Nian’s lips didn’t fade. She quickly caught up and grabbed Su Mingxiu’s hand again. “I was wrong before, I overthought things, I made you wait too long, please don’t be angry with me, okay?”
The child knew how to soften her heart. But they were now inside a crowded mall, their exceptional looks not enough to attract undue attention.
Su Mingxiu looked down at Yu Nian’s hand holding hers, a playful smile on her lips, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. She let Yu Nian lead her to a private dining restaurant on the top floor.
It was peak hour, the best restaurants always had long queues. If Yu Nian hadn’t booked a private room, they would have been in trouble.
As they walked inside, Su Mingxiu suddenly sighed. “With our current relationship… isn’t it inappropriate for you to treat me to dinner?”
Huh?
Yu Nian was stunned, wondering what was wrong with them having dinner together. Were their companies competitors?
As Yu Nian looked at her, confused, Su Mingxiu continued: “I’ve been thinking, after all, I’m your Little Mom, it’s… ethically wrong for us to be together.”
The waiter leading them, straining to overhear their conversation, couldn’t help but glance at them after they entered the private room, her eyes filled with a mixture of shock and pity.
Shocked by their beauty, and pitying their… forbidden love.
Yu Nian was speechless. She had thought Su Mingxiu had agreed to dinner because she was giving them a chance.
But Su Mingxiu was rejecting her, using this excuse. She didn’t even look at her seat, only walking towards Su Mingxiu. “Why? I told you before, I don’t care about that, I like you, it has nothing to do with your past—”
“Bang.” The waiter accidentally slammed the door shut.
Su Mingxiu looked at the distressed, almost teary-eyed Yu Nian and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She pulled Yu Nian closer, and as the girl fell into her lap, she kissed the corner of her lips. “Silly.”
Yu Nian, bewildered by the sudden rejection and then the unexpected reward, clutched the soft fabric of Su Mingxiu’s dress, her mind racing. After a moment, she finally understood.
Su Mingxiu had been teasing her, wanting to see her flustered.
Realizing this, Yu Nian playfully nipped at Su Mingxiu’s lip, then, remembering her own cold shoulder treatment, she softened, licking the spot gently, her voice a soft sigh. “Don’t scare me like that… I was really scared.”
“Scared of what?”
Su Mingxiu, unfazed by Yu Nian’s playful bite, also licked her lip, savoring the faint mark left behind.
Watching her, Yu Nian’s breath hitched, wanting to speak, but she hesitated, then, under Su Mingxiu’s intense gaze, she buried her face in Su Mingxiu’s neck, inhaling her scent. “Scared that… you wouldn’t want me anymore,” she confessed softly.
Hearing her finally open up, showing her vulnerability, Su Mingxiu tightened her embrace, her lips brushing against Yu Nian’s ear, a hint of reprimand in her voice. “If I didn’t want you, I wouldn’t have taken that risk for you.” Such an ungrateful little thing.
From the beginning…
Since high school?
Yu Nian felt a tingling sensation in her ear, the pain mixed with the warmth of Su Mingxiu’s breath, her mind consumed by the sensation, her voice softening.
“Do you… like me?”
Su Mingxiu’s hand moved down to Yu Nian’s waist, giving her a playful pat. “Do you want me to prove it right here?” she asked, a teasing smile in her voice.
Yu Nian: “……?!”
Her eyes widened, then, after a moment, she instinctively pushed Su Mingxiu away. “No, no, no—”
Her back hit the table, knocking over the dishes, the clattering sound alerting the waiter outside.
A minute later…
The waiter opened the door, about to ask if everything was alright, then saw Yu Nian looking at the menu and Su Mingxiu, her head resting on one hand, playing with a teacup, seemingly nonchalant.
Seeing the waiter, Yu Nian paused, then, as Su Mingxiu was ordering, a mischievous glint appeared in her light brown eyes. Her foot, hidden under the tablecloth, slowly moved towards Su Mingxiu, sliding under her skirt.
With a sincere expression, she said to Su Mingxiu: “I’ve thought about it, Little Mom, you were right—”
“I won’t bother you like that anymore.” Of course, I’ll just find more exciting ways.
Her foot, like a little snake, reached Su Mingxiu’s thigh, taking advantage of Su Mingxiu’s distraction, igniting a fire.
The waiter, taking notes: “!”
She stared, wide-eyed, having just witnessed the beginning and end of a scandalous love story, her mind filling in the blanks.
Su Mingxiu chuckled softly, her dark eyes glancing at Yu Nian, a “I’ll deal with you later” look, then she reached down and grabbed Yu Nian’s ankle under the table.
She continued ordering, her voice casual. “And a serving of guotie (pan-fried dumplings). Tell the chef to cook them slowly, over low heat, flipping them carefully. I’m not in a hurry, good food takes time.”
As she finished speaking, Yu Nian felt like she was the dumpling, sizzling in the pan.
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