Princess Syndrome - Chapter 128
Chapter 128: A Performance
Secretary Li's words caused a moment of silence in the office. The people who had been chatting softly immediately quieted down. Zhang Ting, hearing her words, looked up. "What?"
Su Lingyue was speechless, and just as she was about to speak, Secretary Li smoothed things over. "It's nothing, just that Assistant Su's partner and President Ji have the same profile picture."
Su Lingyue was speechless again.
It would have been better if she hadn't smoothed things over at all.
But after her words, the tension dissipated, and the office started chatting again. "Profile pictures, huh? I thought it was something serious. There are probably a thousand people using this profile picture; you get used to it."
Another person chimed in, "Last time, I was about to send a message to my best friend and almost sent it to Manager Zhao! It gave me such a fright!"
Although people’s imagination was boundless, the relationship between Ji Zhiyi and Su Lingyue was beyond its scope.
To believe that she and Su Lingyue were romantically involved was harder than believing pigs could climb trees.
So before Su Lingyue could even explain, her colleagues had already smoothed over the awkwardness themselves. A few even shared some gossip they'd seen online about a magical romance that had blossomed because someone sent a message to the wrong person due to a matching profile picture.
Su Lingyue was at a loss for words.
Would they rather believe those fabricated stories than believe she and Ji Zhiyi were together?
Although she should feel relieved, she felt a bit stifled instead.
In the afternoon, Zhang Xian came up to find Secretary Zhang to get the contract and heard about the incident. She almost doubled over in laughter. The two of them stood on the rooftop, and Su Lingyue couldn't help but ask, "Are we really that incompatible?"
Zhang Xian comforted her, "It's not a question of compatibility."
The issue was, fundamentally, that people would not even consider the idea of them being compatible.
Since there wasn't even a possibility, how could there be any compatibility?
Su Lingyue was deeply wounded. Zhang Xian patted her shoulder and leaned in. "Okay, stop being sad. I have some good news for you."
She did seem to be in a good mood. Su Lingyue asked, "What is it?"
Zhang Xian raised an eyebrow.
Su Lingyue understood. "Su Qi contacted you?"
Zhang Xian grinned. "The factory manager sent me a message at noon."
After Dingsheng withdrew its investment, Su Qi was in a difficult position. Once their funding was cut off, they could no longer secure high-quality raw materials. Zhang Xian said, "But this is faster than I expected. Usually, given Su Qi's capabilities, they should be able to last at least two to three months without supply, unless..."
Unless someone put pressure on them.
Su Lingyue understood. That pressure was either from Ji Zhiyi or the combined efforts of Ji Zhiyi and Shen Yuan. But to Su Lingyue, it was good news. Even the gloominess from the office had dispersed. Zhang Xian patted her on the shoulder. "Opportunity is knocking."
Su Lingyue nodded. The wish she’d held for many years was about to come true. Although it hadn’t yet been achieved, she was incredibly excited. On the way home after work, her lips were constantly curved in a smile. When she arrived at her door, she saw a flower shop on the side of the road and went in to buy a bouquet.
Ji Zhiyi turned when she heard the door open. Su Lingyue was standing at the door, holding a bouquet of flowers. She stood up and walked over. Su Lingyue handed the flowers to her. Xiao Mafan crouched at Ji Zhiyi’s feet, looking up at the flowers with curiosity, but also hesitant to approach them.
Su Lingyue hung up her coat and bag and said to Ji Zhiyi, "I bought these at the flower shop by the front gate. What do you think? Do they smell nice?"
Ji Zhiyi asked, "Why did you buy flowers?"
The housekeeper would change the flowers in the apartment every week, so Ji Zhiyi never bought any. She also rarely paid attention to them. Last time, when Su Lingyue had given her a bouquet, she had kept it in her room for a long time. Looking at it every day made her feel like Su Lingyue was right by her side.
Su Lingyue said, "I saw them by the front gate. They were so pretty that I bought them."
She wouldn't have been such a romantic person before. When she lived with Chu Yi for so long, she had never bought a bouquet to bring home. Now, whenever she saw something beautiful, she would think of sharing it with Ji Zhiyi.
Ji Zhiyi smiled.
Su Lingyue walked over and hugged Ji Zhiyi and the flowers together. Xiao Mafan nudged closer, and Su Lingyue said, "I won't hug you."
The cat meowed at her, stretched out its paw, and clawed at Su Lingyue's pants leg. Su Lingyue was afraid it would snag her clothes, so she immediately released Ji Zhiyi and hugged the cat. Xiao Mafan let out a soft cry. Ji Zhiyi asked, "What do you want for dinner?"
Su Lingyue said, "Anything is fine. Should I make it for you?"
Ji Zhiyi looked at her. "Are you in a good mood today?"
Su Lingyue’s eyebrows lifted. "I couldn’t be better!"
But then she thought of the small incident at the office. The disbelieving looks and tones from Zhang Ting and the others added to her frustration. She looked at Ji Zhiyi, who was looking down at the flowers, her expression gentle. Su Lingyue put down Xiao Mafan and stood in front of Ji Zhiyi. After putting down the cat, she suddenly cupped Ji Zhiyi's cheeks and gave her a hard kiss. She still wasn’t satisfied. She then nibbled on Ji Zhiyi's lips, her tongue exploring inside, spreading sweetness. Ji Zhiyi was caught off guard by the kiss. She responded to her intense kiss, her waist held tightly by Su Lingyue. The flowers in between them were crushed. Petals fell to the floor, floating around their feet. Ji Zhiyi lightly bit Su Lingyue's tongue. Su Lingyue released her.
Ji Zhiyi asked, "What's wrong?"
Su Lingyue said, "Nothing."
Still being stubborn.
Ji Zhiyi pressed on, "Did something happen at the company?"
Su Lingyue said, "Really, nothing happened!"
Ji Zhiyi nodded.
Su Lingyue sat on the sofa, her cheeks slightly flushed. She turned her head, her tone awkward. "Don't think too much about it."
Why did she sound like a fickle woman?
She shook off this strange feeling.
Ji Zhiyi said, "Okay."
Su Lingyue heard the tone of her voice and bit her lip. "Are you angry?"
Ji Zhiyi's voice was flat. "Why would I be angry?"
That tone clearly meant she was angry.
She was angry that Su Lingyue wasn't being honest.
Su Lingyue said, "It's just that Secretary Li saw us chatting today." Ji Zhiyi looked at her. Her expression was calm, as if she could handle the situation even if others knew. Su Lingyue was touched by her composure and poise; it gave her a sense of security.
Ji Zhiyi asked, "So they all know?"
"No." Su Lingyue said, "They only saw the profile picture, and didn't think it was you."
That was why Su Lingyue was upset.
Ji Zhiyi chuckled.
Su Lingyue frowned at her laughter. "Why are you laughing!"
Ji Zhiyi looked at her, teasing, "Do you want me to cry instead?"
Su Lingyue was silent for a few seconds after hearing this. She seemed to have thought of something, and her ears turned red. Ji Zhiyi called out, "Lingyue?"
She pretended to be nonchalant. "What?"
Ji Zhiyi didn't say anything. She just sat next to her and used her fingers to touch Su Lingyue's burning earlobe. Her cool fingertips pinched the slightly heated skin, making Su Lingyue feel so comfortable that she couldn't help but snuggle closer to Ji Zhiyi.
She wrapped her arm around Ji Zhiyi's waist, held her close, and called out, "Ji Zhiyi."
Ji Zhiyi's tone was calm. "Yes?"
Su Lingyue looked up at her in her arms and said, "Thank you."
An unprompted thanks. Ji Zhiyi seemed to understand what she wanted to say. She didn't reply, but the corners of her lips curled up. Su Lingyue tugged on her neck, pulled her down, and kissed her again.
She had never understood why people liked kissing so much.
Now, she couldn’t understand her previous narrow-mindedness; kissing was the happiest thing in the world. The soft touch and sweet taste made her unable to extricate herself from it. Su Lingyue hugged Ji Zhiyi and kissed her for a while before asking, "What did you do at home today?"
Ji Zhiyi said, "Nothing much."
She hadn't been this free since she graduated. Although she still had things to do, compared to her previous high-intensity workload, it was like she was unemployed. Today, other than making a few phone calls, she either spent the time spacing out in front of the TV or resting.
Su Lingyue asked, "Are you not used to it? Should I take a day off to go out with you?"
Ji Zhiyi looked at her and shook her head. "It's good like this. I can recharge."
She could see that Su Lingyue liked working in the secretariat. Otherwise, in this situation, she could have asked Su Lingyue to resign and come to the new company. But Ji Zhiyi didn't. Su Lingyue said, "Recharge? I need to recharge too."
Recharge? It would be good if she could stop being so restless at night.
Ji Zhiyi smiled.
Su Lingyue poked her cheeks in silent protest. Ji Zhiyi held her hand. Su Lingyue said, "I'm going to take a shower first. I'll cook for you later."
She got up to go to the bathroom. On the counter, she saw the aromatherapy diffuser she had bought had arrived, along with a small pink bottle of essential oil. Su Lingyue poked her head out and shouted, "Ji Zhiyi, did my aromatherapy diffuser arrive?"
Ji Zhiyi came back to her senses and said, "Yes, it arrived this afternoon."
Su Lingyue held the diffuser. Although she hadn't planned to take a bath, seeing it made her want to. She filled the tub with water and poured in the essential oil. It was the scent she and Ji Zhiyi both liked. The air filled with fragrance, and steam from the hot water enveloped the area, gradually turning hazy. Su Lingyue filled the tub to the brim. She stepped into the water with bare feet. The hot water warmed every inch of her skin. She leaned against the side of the tub, feeling comfortable. Suddenly, something came to her, and she called out, "Ji Zhiyi!"
Hearing the sound, Ji Zhiyi put down her phone and turned her head.
Wondering if she had misheard, Su Lingyue called out again, "Ji Zhiyi."
Ji Zhiyi got up and walked to the bathroom. She pushed open the door. It was filled with steam. How much hot water had she put in? Ji Zhiyi walked in. Su Lingyue heard the sound and looked up. She met the eyes of Ji Zhiyi, who had just entered. Ji Zhiyi closed the door and looked at Su Lingyue. "What is it?"
Su Lingyue said, "I'm going to perform a show for you."
Seeing her seriousness, Ji Zhiyi felt a little guilty for having thought something else. She coughed and stood in front of the tub. "What kind of show?"
Su Lingyue's face was fair and clean. Her damp hair clung to her cheeks. She looked at Ji Zhiyi with a smile. "I'll show you what a mermaid is!"
She lowered her face into the tub. The tub was a little deep, and the water's surface shimmered with light. Under the crystal lamp, it was iridescent. Su Lingyue only used a little bit of bubble bath, which floated around the tub, vaguely obscuring her figure. Ji Zhiyi wanted to tell her she was being childish, but after a few seconds, she didn't see her come up. She immediately stepped forward, and just as she was bending down, Su Lingyue shot out of the water. Her hands were on the edges of the tub. She brushed faces with Ji Zhiyi, who had bent down. Her eyes were sparkling.
Her face was covered in water, and water droplets clung to her eyelashes. Her skin looked even fairer. The tip of her nose was delicate, and her thin lips had lost the bright color of lipstick, now looking a soft pink. Ji Zhiyi's heart skipped a beat.
She had seen many sides of Su Lingyue, and every side made her like her more, made her heart flutter more.
Ji Zhiyi was stunned, her posture rigid. Su Lingyue supported herself with both hands on the edge of the tub, smiling at her. "What's wrong? Are you scared?"
Her voice was intentionally sweet and seductive, like a bewitching siren. Ji Zhiyi met her eyes and didn't say anything.
Su Lingyue pulled her hand. "What's wrong? Are you really scared?"
Ji Zhiyi finally came back to her senses. "No."
Just as Su Lingyue was about to tease her, Ji Zhiyi moved forward a bit. She was already leaning forward, and now her face was almost touching Su Lingyue's. She looked at Su Lingyue, then with one hand, took off her pajamas and stepped into the tub. Water immediately spilled out, landing on the floor with a drip.
In the quiet bathroom, two hearts were touching each other without any barriers.
Ji Zhiyi leaned in close to Su Lingyue's ear and said, "Should I give you a show too?"
Su Lingyue's ears were burning. She looked at Ji Zhiyi. "What?"
Ji Zhiyi bit her ear. "Eat the mermaid."
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