Princess Syndrome - Chapter 140
Extra: In the Car
Ji Zhiyi had originally been nearby, discussing a collaboration with Shen Yuan. She had chosen a place near where Su Lingyue was having dinner, thinking that once it was over, she could call Su Lingyue and ask if she wanted to go together. However, when she had come downstairs, she had seen Su Lingyue's profile through the restaurant window. She was talking with the people beside her, her smile bright. Ji Zhiyi couldn't help but think of Su Lingyue when they had met again at the company. She had been listless, and seemed resigned to whatever was happening to her. That night, she had gone back to the apartment with her, lying on the sofa and saying, without reservation, “Come step on me.”
Looking back now, she still found that adorable.
She really liked Su Lingyue, so much so that every single thing she did felt cute. Zhang Xian had asked her before, "I really admire people like you who have a secret crush on someone. You can like someone blindly for so long. You don't even know them that well. Have you never thought that maybe she's not the way you imagine her?"
She had been silent for a long time then.
She had thought about it.
How could she not have?
During her days and nights abroad, she had wondered about what Su Lingyue looked like now. What changes had she undergone? How different was she from before? Could she even recognize her now? But each time she had gone over these questions in her mind, she had still found herself missing her. Her blind longing had only grown stronger. Zhang Xian was right. What if she wasn't how she had imagined her? But when they had finally met, she realized that the statement was backward.
It wasn’t that she liked Su Lingyue because she was how she had imagined her.
But rather, she liked Su Lingyue no matter what she was like.
Perhaps, she was even more blind than the word implied.
Ji Zhiyi chuckled lightly. Through the window, she saw Su Lingyue raise her glass and clink glasses with another person. Shen Yuan came next to her. "Going back?"
She came back to her senses. "Yeah. What about you, President Shen?"
Shen Yuan paused, looking towards Su Lingyue. She saw Su Lingyue smiling as she talked to the people around her, her eyebrows raised high. Suddenly, she thought of Jiang Yunlu. Jiang Yunlu had said that her happiest time was when she was Bai Lu. At the time, she felt like a free bird, but now this bird was being locked up in a cage again. Shen Yuan closed her eyes, saying, "I'll go find a friend."
Ji Zhiyi turned her head to look at her, but she didn't ask anything. "Then, take care."
Shen Yuan, wearing her high heels, walked past her. Ji Zhiyi also went inside the hot pot restaurant. Just as she was passing by the screen of Su Lingyue's table, she heard Zhang Ting's words. Her voice carried a coolness from the outside, and it became even more calm and faint. In the eyes of these secretaries, she had always been unapproachable. Now that they had heard her voice, their souls were all scared out of them.
Especially Zhang Ting.
She had collapsed on the table as if she had lost all her color. She really wanted to die!
What a mess! She hadn't been able to forget about the misunderstanding with Su Lingyue and Zhang Xian for long, and then she had joked about Ji Zhiyi in public. She rolled her eyes at herself.
Her life was a mess.
Wu Meiyan was the quickest to react. She looked at Ji Zhiyi. "President Ji, why have you come?"
Ji Zhiyi said, "I was just nearby and saw Lingyue, so I just came over to say hello. What’s wrong with Secretary Zhang?"
Zhang Ting shivered.
She immediately sat up straight, laughing awkwardly. "It’s nothing, I'm fine.”
Zhang Ting had an awkward expression that said, ‘I’m fine’. Ji Zhiyi said, "It's good if you're okay."
Su Lingyue moved over, creating space on her side of the bench. "Are you going to sit?"
Ji Zhiyi said softly, "I'll wait for you in the car."
Su Lingyue said, "Oh," then Ji Zhiyi said, "The keys."
Su Lingyue then handed her the keys. Ji Zhiyi nodded at everyone and left, making everyone feel nervous. Zhang Ting, after she could no longer see Ji Zhiyi, asked herself, "She probably didn't hear what I said, right?"
Just as she finished speaking, Su Lingyue’s phone vibrated. The surroundings, which had been silent because of Ji Zhiyi, could hear her phone vibrating. Su Lingyue, while everyone was looking at her, especially Zhang Ting, who was looking at her with a mix of shock and anxiety, opened her phone.
Ji Zhiyi had sent: [Am I clingy?]
She almost burst out laughing.
Zhang Ting asked anxiously, "What did President Ji say? Did she hear us talking?"
Su Lingyue said seriously, "No, she told me to drink less wine."
The hearts of those listening all sighed in relief.
After letting out a breath, Secretary Li said, "That's not right. Why are we so scared of her?"
This made everyone think. Ji Zhiyi wasn't their leader anymore, so logically, they shouldn't be scared of her. Moreover, even in the past, Ji Zhiyi had never been intimidating. Why were they so nervous and terrified now after just seeing her?
Wu Meiyan said, "It means you didn’t put her in a position as an equal."
Everyone nodded.
Zhang Ting asked, "Sister Wu, what about you?"
Wu Meiyan said frankly, "I’m not either. I’m also scared of her."
Everyone laughed, and then they looked at Su Lingyue. "Assistant Su, what’s it like to date President Ji?"
Secretary Li added quickly, "Yeah, yeah, Assistant Su, are you afraid of President Ji?"
Su Lingyue shook her head.
She was probably an exception. From the start, she had never been afraid of Ji Zhiyi. Secretary Li said, "As expected—"
Su Lingyue asked, "As expected, what?"
Secretary Li said, "As expected, President Ji has two different sides. She must really love you, so she’s definitely different with you than how she is with us. That’s why you’re not afraid of her."
Was that it?
Su Lingyue was silent, tilting her head to look outside. The parking lot had a dim yellow light. It wasn’t very clear. She thought of how, when she had moved into Ji Zhiyi’s apartment, Ji Zhiyi had used the excuse that she needed to tidy up her study. Even now, the study was still in disarray.
Actually, Ji Zhiyi was also quite bad at making excuses, just like she was.
But she had hidden herself well.
Perhaps it wasn’t that she had hidden herself well, but that she had rehearsed these feelings countless times in her mind. That was why she could conceal her emotions and not let her notice.
So, in her heart, how many times had she rehearsed it? How many years had she rehearsed it?
Su Lingyue’s heart pricked a little. Her face, which had just drunk some wine, was even whiter than before. It was until the end of the dinner. She was still thinking about this question. Outside, the cold wind was howling. Wu Meiyan had called for a driver and was getting ready to send the other colleagues home. She asked Su Lingyue if she needed a ride. Su Lingyue said, "Ji Zhiyi is in the car."
Wu Meiyan nodded.
In the cold wind, she looked at Su Lingyue. "President Ji, she really likes you."
Su Lingyue hummed faintly in agreement. Wu Meiyan said, "In the past, we were all misunderstanding things. Let President Ji not take it to heart."
"She won't." Thinking about Ji Zhiyi’s personality, where she was willing to be like a fool when it came to her, she began to feel bad for her again. Really, she blinked, getting rid of the tears in her eyes. She pulled her coat tighter. She said to Wu Meiyan, "Sister Wu, I'll be going first."
Wu Meiyan watched her figure disappear around the corner. Secretary Zhang said, "I bet Assistant Su is going to hug President Ji when she sees her!"
Secretary Li glared at her. "You're back to normal now?"
Zhang Ting chuckled. "You don't believe me?"
Wu Meiyan said, "I believe you." Then, she grabbed Zhang Ting’s collar and pulled her back. Zhang Ting was still trying to rush forward, but she was pulled backwards. The other secretaries found it amusing. They dragged Zhang Ting into the car. Wu Meiyan said, "Save your energy. Don't do that."
Zhang Ting said, "Don't you guys want to watch them hug?"
She was really drunk. She had even started using reduplicated words.
The others laughed. "I even want to watch them kiss."
Zhang Ting's lips twitched.
If you didn't want to watch, then just say so!
She wanted to watch it.
So when the car passed by the parking lot, she saw Su Lingyue’s car in the distance. Ji Zhiyi wasn't in the car. She was standing next to the car door, her hands in the pockets of her coat. When she saw Su Lingyue, she was just about to move when Su Lingyue took two steps and ran straight into her arms.
Zhang Ting excitedly smacked the car window. "She's hugging! She’s hugging! She's hugging her!"
Then, she was dragged back into her seat by Secretary Li.
Su Lingyue was hugging Ji Zhiyi.
Ji Zhiyi's coat was open, revealing a warm-colored knitted shirt. It was soft and comforting, like hugging cotton. She had drunk a bit of alcohol, and her cheeks were flushed. Her usually pale face now had a pink tint. Su Lingyue’s cheek was rubbing against Ji Zhiyi’s coat, feeling comfortable. She didn't want to move until Ji Zhiyi said, "Are you not getting in the car?"
Su Lingyue hesitated for a moment. "I'm getting in."
Ji Zhiyi pulled her into the passenger’s seat and helped her put on her seatbelt. Just as she was about to get up, Su Lingyue kissed her on the cheek. The soft kiss carried a chill. Ji Zhiyi tilted her head. The car's interior lights weren’t on. Only the dim yellow streetlights illuminated them. The light wasn’t bright, but Su Lingyue’s eyes were extraordinarily bright, as if they had captured the stars. Ji Zhiyi had planned to let her off for her drunken behavior, but after getting up, she opened the passenger side door and kissed Su Lingyue's thin lips.
Su Lingyue was set ablaze by the warmth and fire, her ears turning red. She bit Ji Zhiyi’s lips, not wanting to let go of the sweetness.
But they were outside after all. Ji Zhiyi controlled herself. She just kissed her for a moment before letting go of Su Lingyue. After getting into the car, Su Lingyue didn't say anything. She was just looking at her. Ji Zhiyi found it amusing. "What did you all talk about inside?"
Why was she like that after they had finished?
Su Lingyue said, "We didn't talk about anything."
She thought of what Zhang Ting had said, "How did you suddenly leave?"
Ji Zhiyi’s eyes were focused ahead, but she noticed that Su Lingyue had turned her head, as if wanting to lean on her. Ji Zhiyi reached out and held Su Lingyue’s hand, saying, "If I was there, wouldn't you guys be unable to eat?"
"Who said so!" Su Lingyue said. "They like you."
After saying that, she became a little hesitant. "They were just a little bit afraid of you."
Ji Zhiyi chuckled lightly. The side of her face revealed her delight. Su Lingyue became entranced. She stared at her, then suddenly reached out and poked Ji Zhiyi's cheek. Ji Zhiyi tilted her head, grabbing her restless hand. Su Lingyue said, "They asked me if I was afraid of you."
What kind of question was that?
She had never been afraid of her.
Not only was she not afraid, she was making her laugh and cry.
Ji Zhiyi followed along with Su Lingyue. "What did you say?"
Su Lingyue said honestly, "That I wasn't."
Ji Zhiyi's heart warmed. Su Lingyue turned her head and looked at her. Under the flickering lights, one of her hands was held by Ji Zhiyi. Her gaze was fixed on Ji Zhiyi, and she smiled. "Ji Zhiyi, I'm not afraid of you."
Ji Zhiyi was just about to say that she knew.
Su Lingyue then added, "I’m not afraid of you, I love you."
Ji Zhiyi’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. She flicked her turn signal and stepped on the brakes, stopping at the side of the road. She turned her head to look at Su Lingyue. "What?"
Su Lingyue was now shy. "Nothing, nothing."
Ji Zhiyi asked, "What did you just say?"
Actually, Su Lingyue often said those words. When she would give her something delicious to eat, she would happily hug her and say, ‘I love you to death, Zhiyi’ or, when they were messing around in bed, and her body was so sensitive that she couldn’t handle it, Su Lingyue would say, soothingly, ‘Zhiyi, I like you so much, I love you so much.’ She had heard her say it so many times, but she still loved to hear her say it.
Su Lingyue’s face was flushed. Her earlier words had been an involuntary outburst, but now that she was being looked at so intently, it suddenly felt awkward. She turned away stubbornly. "I didn't say anything."
Ji Zhiyi, seeing her acting like a brat, turned her head away. "Fine."
She seemed a bit deflated.
Hearing that, Su Lingyue was immediately unwilling. "What? Are you angry?"
Ji Zhiyi’s voice was flat. "No."
Su Lingyue heard it. "You are angry. Fine, fine, I'll say it, okay?"
Ji Zhiyi said, "No need."
She had blocked her mouth first, using her hand to cover it. "No need."
Her two refusals in a row made Su Lingyue hold her breath. She bit her lip, and then turned to look out the window. Ji Zhiyi started the car again. When they reached the entrance of their home, Su Lingyue refused to get out of the car. Ji Zhiyi asked, puzzled, "Lingyue?"
Su Lingyue said, "Why don't you drive into the garage?"
She was starting to pick a fight.
Ji Zhiyi said, "Okay."
She opened the garage door and parked inside. Before she had even stopped the car, the lights were still on. Su Lingyue heard the garage door gradually closing. *Click,* the door closed. Ji Zhiyi didn’t turn on the garage lights. She left the car lights on, afraid that she wouldn't be able to see. Su Lingyue unfastened her seatbelt, but she didn’t get out. Ji Zhiyi looked at her. "What's wrong?"
Su Lingyue said, "Are you angry?"
Sometimes, Ji Zhiyi admired how Su Lingyue could speak so righteously when she was getting angry.
She laughed. "How can I appease your anger?"
Su Lingyue said, "Turn off the lights."
Ji Zhiyi listened to her and turned off the car lights. The entire garage was pitch-black. She could hear Su Lingyue’s rustling noises. She said, "Let’s try that again."
Ji Zhiyi said, "Try what again?"
Su Lingyue said, "What we were saying before, try it again!"
Ji Zhiyi said, "What were we saying?"
Su Lingyue said, "That phrase where I said I loved you. Let’s try it again!"
In the darkness, a soft chuckle came to Su Lingyue’s ears. She immediately knew that she had been teased again, becoming shy. “Ji Zhiyi!”
Ji Zhiyi said, "Okay, okay, let’s get out of the car."
As she said this, she tried to open the door, but Su Lingyue acted first. She grabbed Ji Zhiyi's hand, not letting her open the door. Ji Zhiyi cried out, "Ling-"
The ‘yue’ was swallowed by Su Lingyue.
Su Lingyue’s kiss, a bit angry, was soothed by Ji Zhiyi. She allowed Su Lingyue to take what she wanted. Su Lingyue slowly calmed down, but her heart beat even more clearly. She licked Ji Zhiyi’s lips. The scent of mint was like the cold air that had been cut through. Su Lingyue’s body was hot. Perhaps it was the alcohol that was making her head buzz. She held Ji Zhiyi’s hand. Ji Zhiyi squeezed her palm, as if comforting her.
Su Lingyue loved Ji Zhiyi's small gestures. Her voice was clear in the darkness, "Zhiyi, have we ever done it in the car before?"
Ji Zhiyi was stunned. Su Lingyue's thin lips pressed against her neck, biting her skin as she spoke. The tip of her tongue carried a flame that burned brightly. She said, "No."
Su Lingyue got up and straddled her directly, whispering into Ji Zhiyi's ear, "Want to try?"
Hoho
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