Chapter 59 p1
“Should I lift it up and try again?” Shen Shu asked, her voice as calm and even as ever, making Xu Jinnan question her own suggestive thoughts.
Shen Shu was just being practical, offering a solution, nothing more.
But Xu Jinnan couldn’t bear the thought of Shen Shu pulling up her shirt. Even through the fabric, the touch was already making her feel a strange mix of discomfort and arousal.
“It’s oka—” she began, then stopped mid-sentence as Shen Shu’s fingers gently grasped the hem of her shirt, the sudden coolness against her skin sending a shiver down her spine.
Her earlier refusal died in her throat, replaced by a tingling sensation, a sweet anticipation she couldn’t ignore.
Taking Xu Jinnan’s silence as consent, Shen Shu carefully lifted the back of her shirt, just enough to expose her lower back, mindful of the chill in the air-conditioned room.
Xu Jinnan’s waist was incredibly slender, small enough for Shen Shu to almost encircle it with her hands. Two faint dimples adorned the skin above her hips.
Instead of using her open palm, which would have been more effective, Shen Shu curled her fingers into a loose fist, using her thumb to apply pressure to the aching muscles.
A soft moan escaped Xu Jinnan’s lips as Shen Shu pressed against a particularly sore spot.
Shen Shu’s fingers paused, the smooth satin of Xu Jinnan’s pajama top brushing against her hand, the image suggestive from certain angles.
Combined with Xu Jinnan’s soft moan, the atmosphere in the living room suddenly shifted.
“Is this the spot?” Shen Shu asked, her voice slightly husky.
“…Yes, perfect,” Xu Jinnan replied, her own voice a little breathless.
Just then, the sound of a kiss echoed from the TV.
Xu Jinnan’s breathing became shallow, mirroring the scene on screen.
At this rate, her back might feel better, but she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.
After a few seconds, she reached back and gently grasped Shen Shu’s hand, sitting up. “That’s enough. It feels better now,” she said.
“Already?”
“Much better,” Xu Jinnan replied, touching her nose. “I’ll get a massage tomorrow, and I’ll be fine.” She released Shen Shu’s slightly warm wrist and stood up. “I’m going to get some water. Do you want some?” As she stood up, she casually grabbed the remote and changed the channel.
“Xu Jinnan.”
Xu Jinnan turned around. “Yes?”
“Why did you change the channel?”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
The reason was obvious, but Shen Shu’s question felt deliberate.
In fact, it was deliberate.
Xu Jinnan had noticed that despite her usually serious demeanor, Shen Shu had a playful, almost teasing side.
And she only seemed to show this side to Xu Jinnan.
Especially lately…
Xu Jinnan glanced at the sofa, meeting Shen Shu’s gaze. “Miss Shen, do you enjoy watching that kind of thing?” she asked, a smile playing on her lips.
Shen Shu, catching the amusement in her voice, retorted, “And Teacher Xu, did you change the channel because you didn’t enjoy it?”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Touché.
She raised an eyebrow, then decided to let it go. She was the Alpha, after all; she should be the bigger person.
She went to the kitchen island, poured two glasses of warm water, handed one to Shen Shu, then sat down on the sofa.
It was a cool October evening, a gentle breeze drifting in from the balcony, dispelling the lingering tension.
A variety show played on TV.
Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu sat side by side on the sofa, Xu Jinnan with her legs crossed, leaning back against the cushions, Shen Shu sitting upright, looking down at her phone.
For a few minutes, the only sound in the living room was the chatter from the TV, the atmosphere peaceful and quiet.
Their phones vibrated simultaneously.
Cai Ying had sent a message in the group chat, asking if they were free for dinner tomorrow. Xu Jinnan turned to Shen Shu. “I’m not free tomorrow. What about you?”
Shen Shu checked her schedule. “I’m not free either. I’m free the day after tomorrow, in the afternoon.”
“I might not be free then either,” Xu Jinnan said.
“You’ve been busy lately,” Shen Shu commented.
While she had been deliberately avoiding Xu Jinnan these past few days, she could tell Xu Jinnan had been genuinely busy, sometimes returning home close to midnight.
“I have something else to do that day, and I might not be home. Just letting you know,” Xu Jinnan said.
Shen Shu looked at her.
Xu Jinnan had considered this and hadn’t intended to hide it from Shen Shu. “I’m going to Qucheng that afternoon. It’s a long drive, so I might not be back until late,” she explained.
“Alone?”
“With a… friend. The one who’s helping me find someone,” she replied, referring to Chen Yue. He was less conspicuous, and it would be easier for him to move around freely in Qucheng.
Shen Shu was silent for a moment. “I don’t have any scenes to film that afternoon. I can go with you,” she said, taking a sip of water, her lips brushing against the rim of the glass.
“You don’t have to,” Xu Jinnan said. “I’m just going to take a look around. I’m not going to the Xu family home, and I won’t be contacting anyone from the family, so it’s fine.” Shen Shu had been trending online a lot lately, and her face was becoming more recognizable. Xu Jinnan didn’t want to be distracted, and she also didn’t want to risk Shen Shu encountering anyone from the Xu family.
People like Xu Lian weren’t exactly friendly.
She didn’t want to put Shen Shu in danger.
“I’ll wait for you in the car,” Shen Shu said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Xu Jinnan paused, remembering Shen Shu’s question in the original Xu Jinnan’s bedroom.
—”If it were me, would you leave me alone there?”
She had said no.
It was the same principle.
If Shen Shu was going to Qucheng, she would be worried too.
“We’re leaving tomorrow afternoon, and we probably won’t be back until late. It’ll be a long drive,” Xu Jinnan said gently. Shen Shu’s filming schedule was just as demanding as hers.
She had seen Shen Shu agonizing over a single line for days.
“It’s fine,” Shen Shu replied, glancing at her. “I’m tougher than you.”
Xu Jinnan: “…?”
She almost choked on her water, staring at Shen Shu, who had already turned away, as if nothing had happened.
She’s acting strange today.
Her words and actions… it wasn’t like her.
She remembered the massage earlier; Shen Shu had initiated it, which was surprising.
And she clearly wasn’t experienced, a hint of shyness hidden beneath her usual composure.
After the massage, when Xu Jinnan had sat up, Shen Shu’s face, though carefully neutral, had been flushed, her earlobes bright red.
She had noticed that Shen Shu’s ears turned red when she was embarrassed.
The contrast between her aloof demeanor and her shyness was endearing.
Xu Jinnan remembered a quote: What’s truly captivating isn’t seeing someone do what they’re good at, but seeing them blush as they try something new.
She felt the truth of those words now.
“Shu Shu,” she called out.
Shen Shu, her hand on the doorknob, paused and turned around. “Yes?”
Xu Jinnan realized it wasn’t just Shen Shu who had changed; she had too. She found herself wanting to prolong their conversations, to keep talking, about anything.
“Good night,” she said softly.
She saw a flicker of warmth in Shen Shu’s beautiful eyes.
“Good night,” Shen Shu replied.
The door opened, then closed.
Shen Shu leaned against the door, her hand resting on her racing pulse, the blood rushing through her veins, then slowly tracing a path down her neck to her chest, her heart pounding.
It had been like this since touching Xu Jinnan’s skin, since realizing her hands could almost encircle Xu Jinnan’s waist…
She had been suppressing it, but the warmth hadn’t faded.
She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, then opened the window slightly, letting in the cool night air.
It helped, but the image of Xu Jinnan’s smooth, pale waist lingered in her mind.
She had instinctively wanted to reach out, to trace the curve of her spine with her fingertips.
This feeling wasn’t new, not lately.
She wasn’t usually driven by desire. Even when reading or watching something suggestive, her reactions were mostly physical, rarely emotional.
But around Xu Jinnan, she was different.
Xu Jinnan was different, the only person who evoked such intense feelings…
She curled her fingers into a fist, then opened them, her palm flushed, burning hot.
—
The next day, Xu Jinnan woke up early, her back feeling better after a good night’s sleep. Since she was leaving for Qucheng tomorrow, she took her laptop to the sofa and started working.
Shen Shu emerged from the bedroom, drawn by the aroma of porridge, and saw Xu Jinnan typing away on her laptop.
A pot of shrimp porridge simmered on the stove; Xu Jinnan was multitasking.
“You’re awake?”
“Mm,” Shen Shu replied, going to the kitchen island, opening the lid of the pot, and stirring the porridge. “Is your back still sore?”
“It’s better,” Xu Jinnan replied, finishing a sentence and looking up. “Mostly thanks to my excellent masseuse.”
Shen Shu put down the spoon and looked at her. “Really? Then why are you still planning to get a massage?”
Xu Jinnan, already back to her work, replied casually, “I’ll go this afternoon.”
“Oh.”
Xu Jinnan paused, hearing Shen Shu’s soft, almost teasing tone.
“Clearly, I wasn’t good enough,” she said.
Xu Jinnan chuckled. Shen Shu seemed more playful today.
“No one can compare to you,” she replied, the words of praise coming easily, like a practiced flirtation.
“I’m going to wash up. Keep an eye on the porridge,” Shen Shu said.
“Certainly, Miss Shen,” Xu Jinnan replied.
—
After breakfast, they left the apartment together, heading to Xu Jinnan’s office building, so there was no need for the van.
As they walked along the path outside the building, Xu Jinnan noticed some loose paving stones and glanced at a nearby clearing.
It had been a green space before, now transformed into a recreational area, still under construction, but already equipped with some exercise equipment and two swing sets.
She turned to Shen Shu, who was also looking at the clearing. “You like swings, don’t you? We can come down here after dinner sometime,” she said.
Shen Shu’s gaze lingered on the swings for a moment. “Why do you say I like swings?” she asked, turning back to Xu Jinnan.
“You seemed to enjoy them at the Yuhua Orphanage,” Xu Jinnan replied. Shen Shu had been staring at them the entire time.
And she had seemed happy playing with Little Crescent Moon on the swings.
Xu Jinnan suddenly remembered hugging Shen Shu that day…
“No, I don’t,” Shen Shu said. “I don’t know why, but I don’t particularly like them.” She just found herself drawn to them.
The rhythmic swaying motion evoked a sense of familiarity, but since swings were so common, she couldn’t place the origin of the feeling.
“Okay. Let’s visit Little Crescent Moon again when we have time,” Xu Jinnan said.
“Alright,” Shen Shu agreed, nodding.
—
The next morning, Shen Shu’s filming went smoothly, wrapping up by 10 a.m.
Without further delay, she and Xu Jinnan left for Qucheng.
Chen Yue was driving. Despite his usual attempts to appear respectful in front of Xu Jinnan, he still had a slightly thuggish air about him. But the moment Shen Shu entered the car, he straightened up, as if suddenly self-conscious.
Xu Jinnan chuckled inwardly. Even thugs are captivated by beauty.
The drive to Qucheng was almost four hours, and Xu Jinnan, worried Shen Shu might get tired, had bought a new cushion for the back seat.
Shen Shu, having woken up early for filming, fell asleep during the drive.
Xu Jinnan looked out the window for a while, then glanced at Shen Shu. Perhaps her gaze was too intense, because Shen Shu’s eyes fluttered open.
Their eyes met.
Xu Jinnan didn’t look away, her expression calm. “Did you sleep well?”
Shen Shu’s voice was slightly hoarse. “Not really. Can you… come closer?”
Xu Jinnan hesitated, then moved closer to Shen Shu. They hadn’t been far apart to begin with, and now, their clothes were almost touching.
“Lean on me,” she said, feeling a twinge of guilt. She should have offered earlier, not waited for Shen Shu to ask.
Shen Shu’s head rested on her shoulder, her sweet scent filling Xu Jinnan’s senses.
Xu Jinnan inhaled slowly, savoring the fragrance.
“Xu Jinnan.”
“Yes?”
“Your shoulder is a little stiff.”
“…”
“Should I get you a pillow? We still have two hours to go,” Xu Jinnan asked, her voice slow and patient.
Shen Shu didn’t reply, shifting slightly and resting her head against Xu Jinnan’s shoulder blade instead of her shoulder.
Xu Jinnan’s breath hitched.
She didn’t move, letting Shen Shu adjust to a comfortable position.
After a moment, Shen Shu’s breathing evened out, the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest against Xu Jinnan’s back a comforting weight.
This quiet intimacy, this unspoken trust…
It made Xu Jinnan feel a strange sense of wonder. When she first arrived in this world, she had never imagined sharing such a moment with Shen Shu.
Sensing someone watching them, she glanced forward.
Chen Yue immediately averted his gaze from the rearview mirror, coughing slightly to cover his embarrassment.
He hadn’t interacted much with Xu Jinnan, but he had always been slightly intimidated by her, despite her seemingly gentle demeanor.
Her subtle aura of authority was unnerving. Like that glance just now, so calm, not even a warning, yet it had been enough to make him look away.
—
They stopped for a quick meal and a bathroom break two hours later.
Then, Xu Jinnan saw the sign – Qucheng.
The Xu family’s ancestral home wasn’t in the city itself, but in a small town on the outskirts, so the road was mostly deserted.
A long, winding road, stretching endlessly into the distance.
The same road the original Xu Jinnan had run along as a child, stumbling and falling, her heart filled with despair.
It was October, and the fields lining the road were green, some planted with crops, the scene both familiar and different from her memories.
For a moment, she felt like she was back in that small body, experiencing the terror of being abandoned, the original Xu Jinnan’s pain and resentment seeping into her bones.
Then, she felt a tickle on her lips and instinctively reached up to touch it – a strand of Shen Shu’s hair, ruffled by the wind.
She glanced down at Shen Shu, who hadn’t slept well last night, having woken up at 4:30 a.m. for hair and makeup, now asleep, her head resting on Xu Jinnan’s shoulder.
Xu Jinnan’s heart calmed slightly.
—
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