Princess Syndrome - Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Holding Hands

Su Lingyue was still in her room when she heard Zhang Xian's wails, her voice scraping against her eardrums despite the layers of insulation.

It seemed she had taken a hit.

Ji Zhiyi sat casually on the sofa, rubbing her cheek, and asked Zhang Xian, "Aren't you going back?"

Zhang Xian wore a long face. "Don't I deserve to know why?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "You're new to the company and haven't proven yourself yet. If you want a bonus, do a good job with Arno's autumn exhibition."

Zhang Xian was skeptical.

She was indeed new to the company. She hadn't been in charge of the summer exhibition, and she didn't have much credibility in the company yet, especially since she was often out. Chen Zhiyao had more opportunities to report to Ji Zhiyi than she did.

But that was because she was busy with Ji Zhiyi's new processing plant.

Others couldn't know about the plant, and she had to handle everything personally, which naturally distracted her.

Zhang Xian said, "Even if there's no achievement, there's effort. Forget the bonus, I won't argue this time, but are you and Assistant Su having problems again?"

She remembered her real reason for stopping by.

She had sensed Su Lingyue's discomfort during the video call and was worried.

Ji Zhiyi glanced at her.

Zhang Xian was confused. "Why are you looking at me?"

Ji Zhiyi's tone was indifferent. "Wondering why you have so much free time."

Zhang Xian: ...

She felt like she was being subtly insulted again.

She said, "I'm not free at all. I don't even have time to rest on weekends. I just got back from the processing plant. Look at me, I'm still sweaty and haven't had a chance to go home and shower!"

Ji Zhiyi held out her hand.

Zhang Xian: "What for?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "Go home and shower."

Zhang Xian: ...

Did she dislike her that much?

She hadn't noticed Ji Zhiyi being such a bad host before. Back when they were abroad, she could occasionally stay over if she worked late. But now that they were back in China, her treatment had changed.

This attitude of not wanting her to stay or even come over.

Anyone would think she was hiding a treasure!

But Su Lingyue was in the house. If she were hiding someone, she wouldn't hide her here.

Zhang Xian shook her head, dismissing the thought. Ji Zhiyi, seeing her change of expression, turned back to the wine cabinet, took out a bottle of red wine, and handed it to Zhang Xian. Zhang Xian's eyes lit up. "Didn't you say you were out?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "It arrived yesterday. Take it home."

Zhang Xian didn't dwell on the issues between Ji Zhiyi and Su Lingyue. Holding the red wine, she was all smiles. But when she reached the door, she was still worried and turned back. "Should I say goodbye to Assistant Su?"

Ji Zhiyi looked towards Su Lingyue's room. "She has a headache today. Don't disturb her."

Zhang Xian finally understood. "A headache?"

Ji Zhiyi nodded.

Zhang Xian slapped her forehead.

She had thought Ji Zhiyi was taking her anger out on Su Lingyue again.

She hadn't realized Su Lingyue wasn't feeling well.

No wonder Ji Zhiyi said she had too much free time.

She had shown up without even knowing the situation.

Zhang Xian chuckled dryly. "I'll get going then."

Su Lingyue heard footsteps coming and going outside the door, along with occasional snippets of conversation between Ji Zhiyi and Zhang Xian. She had felt her cheeks burning when Ji Zhiyi looked at her earlier, thinking about being interrupted by Zhang Xian, so she had come to her room to cool down.

Now that Zhang Xian was gone.

She was too embarrassed to go out.

She heard Ji Zhiyi walking around in the living room, and then a click.

She peeked through the crack in the door. The lights were off.

Ji Zhiyi had gone to sleep?

She had just gone to sleep like that?

Without a word, without a message, she had just gone to sleep?

Su Lingyue didn't know what she was waiting for, just a faint sense of anticipation. This anticipation reached its peak when Ji Zhiyi stopped at her door, just before knocking.

It was as if invisible hands were pulling at her, drawing all her attention.

The moment Ji Zhiyi knocked, she quickly sat up, smoothed her hair, and then hugged Xiao Mafan and kissed it. Finally, she exhaled and walked to the door, trying to act casual as she opened it.

She saw that the entire house was dark.

She asked, "Did Zhang Xian leave?"

She knew exactly when Zhang Xian had left.

What was she doing?

Being so—fake.

Su Lingyue hadn't expected falling in love to trigger a hidden side of her personality. She wasn't used to it. After asking the question, she bit her lip, looking at Ji Zhiyi.

Ji Zhiyi smiled faintly. "Just now."

It was like giving Su Lingyue an out.

Su Lingyue said, "Oh."

She looked at Ji Zhiyi.

The blush on her face hadn't faded, making her look like she had been drinking. Her eyes were bright. The light from behind her illuminated her, and Ji Zhiyi reached out.

Su Lingyue's heart skipped a beat.

Like being hit by a pendulum.

Swinging back and forth.

Ji Zhiyi didn't do anything, just adjusted the collar of her pajamas. When her fingertips brushed against Su Lingyue's neck, Su Lingyue felt a tingling, a novel sensation.

She looked at Ji Zhiyi.

Her thin lips parted slightly, and she met Ji Zhiyi's gaze.

Ji Zhiyi said, "Good night."

The pendulum swinging in Su Lingyue's chest suddenly settled back into place.

She was silent for two seconds. "Good night."

Ji Zhiyi turned and went back to her room, leaving the door open. Light spilled out from the doorway, illuminating the hallway connecting the two rooms. Su Lingyue gripped the doorknob, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

Then she turned back to her bed and threw herself face down onto the covers.

Why just a good night!

What about the kiss that was interrupted?

Xiao Mafan meowed and burrowed under the covers, its eyes shining in the dark. Su Lingyue met its gaze for a moment and then calmed down. When had she become so impatient? Was it a backlash from suppressed desires?

So, now that she had an attractive target, she was eager to do something with her?

That made sense.

She had ulterior motives towards Ji Zhiyi from the start.

It was normal to want her for her beauty.

Su Lingyue reassured herself, then hugged Xiao Mafan and kissed it.

It was like making up for the interrupted kiss. Xiao Mafan closed its eyes as she kissed it, making Su Lingyue laugh, easing the tension in her chest. Ji Zhiyi lay in bed, covered by a thin blanket, listening to the faint sounds from the next room.

She turned off the light, and her senses were amplified in the darkness.

Even if it was just her imagination.

Imagining Su Lingyue sitting on her, the soft weight of her legs, Su Lingyue looking at her with glistening eyes, and then leaning closer.

Ji Zhiyi closed her eyes.

Imagining Su Lingyue covering her eyes.

She reached out.

And grasped only air.

The fantasy vanished, but the heat smoldering in her chest continued to burn. Ji Zhiyi turned over, wrapped herself in the blanket, and closed her eyes.

Neither of them slept well that night.

Su Lingyue woke up as soon as it was light. She heard noises outside her door and thought she was dreaming until Xiao Mafan jumped out of bed. She followed the sound to the kitchen and saw Ji Zhiyi wearing an apron, making breakfast.

She was surprised. "Morning."

Then she asked, "Why are you up so early?"

Ji Zhiyi didn't tell her she hadn't slept well all night, just said, "I have a meeting this morning."

A meeting this early?

Then she remembered that Ji Zhiyi often had meetings scheduled across different time zones. No wonder she was wearing a white blouse under her apron. Su Lingyue wasn't someone who was particularly into uniforms, but she thought Ji Zhiyi looked more alluring in a blouse and high-waisted trousers than anyone she had seen on TV wearing a uniform. It was an allure of crispness and meticulousness.

It made her want to get closer and unbutton her blouse.

To watch her neat and tidy clothes become disheveled.

Ji Zhiyi asked, "Aren't you going to wash up?"

Su Lingyue scratched the corner of her eye.

It had only been one night.

Why was she still so horny!

Su Lingyue felt a little embarrassed for a couple of seconds and avoided eye contact with Ji Zhiyi. She lowered her head. "I'm going to wash up."

She walked into the bathroom.

The washing machine was running in the bathroom, a low hum, but the vibrations were hard to ignore. Su Lingyue felt the vibrations all the way to her chest, her heart beating fast.

She lingered in the bathroom after washing up before finally going out.

Ji Zhiyi was sitting at the dining table, a tablet propped up in front of her, seemingly watching the news. Su Lingyue had seen her watch financial news while eating before, so it wasn't surprising, but today was different from other days.

After all, she was now Ji Zhiyi's girlfriend.

Her perspective was different.

Before, she only felt admiration.

But now, thinking that the person in front of her was hers.

An indescribable joy sprouted like a sapling, quickly taking root in her heart and growing stronger. Su Lingyue sat down across from Ji Zhiyi with a smile. She was about to speak when the person on the screen said, "Zhiyi, there's an exhibition in the company in October. Do you want to come back and take a look?"

It was a standard American accent.

Was she on a call or in a meeting?

Su Lingyue's eagerness to speak vanished. She sat silently across from Ji Zhiyi.

Ji Zhiyi said, "October? I might not be free then. We'll see."

"You're too busy now," the person on the video said. "We can only see you on the news."

Ji Zhiyi laughed. "It's not that bad."

"Yes, it is!" Perhaps it was the different work environment, but Su Lingyue felt the person on the other end was more flamboyant, both in voice and attitude. Ji Zhiyi handled it effortlessly, a faint smile on her usually indifferent face.

The person on the video said, "Has Xiao Mao called you?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "I've been busy lately and haven't had many chances to answer her calls."

"Then you should pay attention," the person said. "She recently bragged to us that she's going to have you custom-design a pair of high heels for her—"

Ji Zhiyi laughed, but didn't say anything.

Su Lingyue poked at her bread when she heard this.

Ji Zhiyi, noticing she hadn't eaten, passed her the milk.

Su Lingyue took a sip.

A trace of milk remained on her lips. She leaned forward to grab a tissue, but Ji Zhiyi reached out and gently wiped the milk away.

Su Lingyue tried to keep a straight face.

But the corners of her lips curled up slightly. The warmth of Ji Zhiyi's fingertip lingered on her lips. She lowered her head and continued eating her bread.

Ji Zhiyi spoke a few more words to the person on the phone and then ended the video call.

She said to Su Lingyue, "A former colleague from my old company."

Su Lingyue said, "Lucky?"

Ji Zhiyi nodded.

Su Lingyue said, "You guys are pretty close?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "They took good care of me when I was abroad."

Perhaps it was because she had secured the best benefits for them, or perhaps it was because she was the youngest, but she had been well taken care of when she was abroad. Su Lingyue nodded. "So—"

Who was Xiao Mao?

It seemed like she had an even closer relationship with Ji Zhiyi than the others.

But she had never heard Ji Zhiyi mention her.

Or Zhang Xian either?

Su Lingyue bit her lip.

Was it too much to check up on her so early in the relationship? Ji Zhiyi looked at her. "What is it?"

Su Lingyue shook her head. "Nothing."

She said, "Let's eat breakfast."

Ji Zhiyi noticed she wasn't saying anything, just looking at her more intently. Eventually, they both lowered their heads to eat breakfast. After breakfast, Ji Zhiyi received a call from the company. She told Su Lingyue to put on some light makeup and held out her wrist.

Su Lingyue quickly put her watch on for her.

They left together.

Su Lingyue was driving, with Ji Zhiyi in the passenger seat, one hand holding her phone and the other touching her tablet. Su Lingyue only saw the numbers on the tablet jumping, like her heartbeat.

It was pounding heavily.

Ji Zhiyi hung up the phone just as they arrived at the company.

Su Lingyue turned off the ignition as usual and was about to get out when Ji Zhiyi reached out and grabbed her wrist. Su Lingyue turned her head.

In the dimly lit car, Ji Zhiyi was looking at her.

Car lights flashed from behind them from time to time, passing their car or parking in the spaces around them. She could hear her colleagues talking.

"What did you have for breakfast?"

"Coffee downstairs later?"

"You still haven't given me that report."

"Where did you go this weekend?"

"Hey—"

The voices seemed far away and yet right beside her.

Su Lingyue didn't move, her wrist held by Ji Zhiyi. She just looked up at Ji Zhiyi.

Ji Zhiyi was also staring at her.

The car's interior lights were completely off, and the sound of high heels on the pavement enclosed them in a small, private space. Amidst the chatter of their colleagues, Ji Zhiyi slowly intertwined her fingers with Su Lingyue's.

Su Lingyue's palms were hot, a tingling sensation spreading from her fingertips. She wanted to curl her fingers, just enough to grip Ji Zhiyi's hand tightly, filling her palm.

Her heart was racing.

She asked very softly, "What are you doing?"

Afraid of being overheard, she leaned closer to Ji Zhiyi.

A faint fragrance wafted over her. Ji Zhiyi looked down at their clasped hands, leaned closer to her ear, and whispered, "Nothing, just wanted to see what it feels like to hold my girlfriend's hand."

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