Our Love, A Public Service - Chapter 20
Chapter 20
"You're the first one I actively pursued." Jing Rui was about to say something else when Chi Jia pushed her hand away and chuckled coldly.
Chi Jia's laughter was laced with disdain. She lay quietly on the other side of the bed, closed her eyes, and murmured, "Sleepy, goodnight."
Jing Rui was still looking at Chi Jia's face when, with a click, the room was plunged into darkness.
Chi Jia had turned off the light, silence engulfing the room.
Jing Rui also turned over, their backs facing each other, a distance of one person between them.
Chi Jia couldn't sleep. She kept thinking about what Jing Rui had just said, the first one she actively pursued. For a fleeting moment, Chi Jia had the illusion that Jing Rui liked her, especially when Jing Rui was on top of her, calling her "babe" in that seductive voice; Chi Jia's heart almost melted.
But then she thought, words spoken in bed were the least trustworthy. Who knew how many women the vixen had used that line on?
They said if you could trust men's words, pigs could fly. In Chi Jia's opinion, if you could trust Jing Rui's words, pigs could climb Mount Everest.
Chi Jia didn't know Jing Rui that well, but the reason she felt this way was probably because of Jing Rui's overly… abundant sexual experience.
Surnamed Jing was a vixen incarnate, the kind who was attracted to both men and women. Chi Jia pulled the blanket over her head, her mind in turmoil. Why did she even care about what Jing Rui said?
They both fell asleep very late, almost at dawn.
No matter how properly Chi Jia and Jing Rui lay in bed before falling asleep, the next morning, they were entangled, sleeping soundly, practically molded into each other.
Buzz, buzz, buzz—
Chi Jia's phone vibrated on the bedside table.
But Miss Chi, as if in hibernation mode, didn't react at all.
Chi Jia had a special skill, one that most people didn't possess: an intermittent biological clock. On weekdays, she could wake up on time without fail, but on weekends, she could sleep all day.
Being late or absent from work meant a pay cut, and anything related to money, Chi Jia was never careless about.
"Are you a pig? Sleeping so soundly." Jing Rui opened her eyes and muttered softly. The phone kept vibrating, and Chi Jia was nestled in her arms, mouth slightly open, practically drooling, sleeping without a shred of grace.
"Your phone..." Jing Rui nudged Chi Jia a couple of times, but not only did Chi Jia not wake up, she wrapped her legs around Jing Rui's, becoming even more unrestrained.
It was only 5 AM. They had slept late last night and were tired, so it was normal that they couldn't wake up.
Annoyed by the phone's incessant buzzing, Jing Rui figured it must be Jian Yi; who else would call so early? She reached over, found Chi Jia's phone, and looked at the caller ID. It was indeed Jian Yi.
She swiped to answer, and Jian Yi's voice came through. "Xiao Jia, are you and Sister Jing Rui awake? We should get going."
"It's me, Xiao Yi."
Jian Yi didn't recognize Jing Rui's voice immediately, but since it wasn't Chi Jia, she figured it was Jing Rui. "Sister Jing Rui, what's wrong with your voice?"
"Maybe… I caught a cold from the air conditioning." Jing Rui's voice was a bit hoarse, the reason for which didn't need further explanation.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you guys ready? Let's go now, otherwise we'll miss the sunrise." Hearing Jing Rui's languid voice, Jian Yi felt uncertain; it sounded like she had just woken up.
Jing Rui looked at Chi Jia, who was still sleeping like a log. She could barely keep her own eyes open. "Chi Jia is still asleep, we won't be going."
"Huh? Still asleep?" Jian Yi was confused. They had agreed to meet at 5 AM. Besides, if Chi Jia wasn't going, why wasn't Jing Rui going either? Jian Yi felt she should ask. "Sister Jing Rui, aren't you going either?"
"No, last night we..." Jing Rui paused, then continued with a smile, "Last night, we were discussing the proposal, stayed up late, and we're a bit tired, so we won't be going."
No wonder her voice sounded so tired. Jian Yi apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry, did I wake you? Then you should go back to sleep, I'm sorry."
"...Have fun, you and Yun Xin."
Jian Yi hung up and explained to Yun Xin, "Xiao Jia and Sister Jing Rui said they're not going."
"Why not?"
"They said they stayed up late last night and are too tired. Xiao Jia is still asleep; Sister Jing Rui answered the phone."
"They were..." Hearing this, a complex expression crossed Yun Xin's face.
Jian Yi, with her usual innocence, said, "Oh, they were discussing the design proposal, all night."
"Discussing the proposal all night?"
"Yes." Jian Yi nodded.
Yun Xin seemed to understand something; Jing Rui's excuse would probably only work on Jian Yi. Yun Xin took Jian Yi's arm. "Let's go, let them rest."
Jing Rui had just put down the phone and lay back down when Chi Jia, like a kitten, snuggled up to her, shamelessly wrapping her arm around Jing Rui's waist.
So clingy, yet still claiming to not like women.
Chi Jia liked to cuddle something when she slept, using Jing Rui as a pillow, but Jing Rui was more comfortable than a pillow, warm and fragrant. She was becoming addicted to Jing Rui's scent.
"Such a terrible sleeper..." Jing Rui stared at Chi Jia's face for a while, then suddenly smiled. Miss Chi, when quiet, could actually appear somewhat demure, almost pleasant to look at.
Jing Rui lay there for a while, feeling like something was missing, then she closed her eyes, shifted closer, and wrapped her arms around Chi Jia, pulling her into a comfortable embrace, and continued sleeping.
"Mmm..." Chi Jia snuggled closer, nuzzling and sniffing at Jing Rui's neck like a puppy. Jing Rui enjoyed the feeling, ticklish and warm, very comfortable.
They slept for several hours.
"Jing Rui!! You pervert! Taking advantage of me again!" When Chi Jia woke up naturally, she found Jing Rui holding her, her hand resting on Chi Jia's butt, seemingly having been there all night.
Jing Rui was woken up by Chi Jia's shrill voice. She hugged Chi Jia tighter, her eyes still closed, and mumbled, "After all that screaming last night, you still have energy for this..."
"You!" Chi Jia was both embarrassed and angry.
Jing Rui's head throbbed. She opened her eyes, looking at Chi Jia with a mixture of annoyance and resignation. "After a whole night of fondling, can you please remove your hand from my chest now?"
Chi Jia's hand felt soft and warm against Jing Rui's skin. Feeling guilty, she quickly withdrew her hand.
They were both equally guilty tonight, neither had the right to accuse the other of taking advantage.
"If we don't get up now, we'll miss the sunrise." Chi Jia rolled out of bed, remembering their purpose for coming here. Having traveled so far, she at least wanted to see the sunrise. Mainly, she wanted to change the subject and escape the awkwardness of being alone in a room with Jing Rui.
Chi Jia didn't want to bring up last night again.
The thick blackout curtains were drawn, and Chi Jia had no idea what time it was, assuming it was still early.
Jing Rui checked the time on her phone and sighed, throwing cold water on Chi Jia's plans. "It's 5 PM, what sunrise? We'll be lucky to catch the sunset."
Chi Jia opened the curtains; the sun was indeed setting.
Jing Rui lay in bed, looking at Chi Jia's silhouette against the setting sun by the window. She was wearing a loose T-shirt that made her look small, her long, slender legs still bare.
It was a beautiful scene, and Jing Rui lazily admired it.
The memories of last night still lingered.
"Why didn't Xiao Yi wake me up..." Chi Jia muttered, then turning around, she saw Jing Rui lazily looking at her. Her body was covered in noticeable hickeys… The kind that couldn't be caused without some serious sucking.
Remembering everything that happened on this bed last night, Chi Jia blushed. She had indeed been a bit… enthusiastic, and Jing Rui had been relentlessly teasing her.
Few could resist the vixen's seduction.
"Xiao Yi called. I answered and told her we weren't going." Jing Rui said, getting out of bed and heading towards the bathroom.
Chi Jia looked at Jing Rui's alluring figure in her revealing nightgown, the epitome of sexiness.
It was 5 PM, and the sun was still scorching outside, irritating Chi Jia.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Through the semi-transparent glass, Chi Jia could see the outline of Jing Rui's body as she showered. She only glanced for a couple of seconds before turning away.
Leaning against the windowsill, Chi Jia felt a pang of frustration. After sleeping together, the vixen was always the most composed one. So passionate in bed, yet so indifferent afterwards, like a completely different person.
But wasn't she the same with Jing Rui?
Passionate in bed, cold and distant outside. In short, their relationship was just a fling.
But Chi Jia knew she cared about Jing Rui, otherwise she wouldn't have subconsciously asked how many women Jing Rui had slept with last night. Facing her true feelings, Chi Jia admitted she was slightly interested in Jing Rui; why else would she have slept with the vixen?
Chi Jia seemed to have a predisposition for falling easily for someone, her feelings coming and going quickly.
During university, she had gone through seven breakups.
She couldn't differentiate between being touched, liking someone, and loving someone. Chi Jia had questioned herself more than once: had she ever loved someone? Why did she feel that love was just… so-so, not as earth-shattering as others described? Perhaps the relationships she had weren't the same as others'.
In the past, as long as she felt the other person was decent, she would readily accept their advances, but she never seemed to find the right one. Every relationship ended without a clear resolution.
Chi Jia disliked Jing Rui for being "promiscuous," but she herself wasn't much better. She wasn't very popular with other girls in her department back then. After all, she had changed boyfriends throughout the four years of university, several popular guys becoming her exes. How could she be well-liked?
Every breakup was initiated by Chi Jia, and more than half of the reasons were "losing feelings." Chi Jia didn't dwell on the past. If she lost feelings, felt bored or tired of the relationship, she would break up without hesitation.
Many people in school called her a "heartbreaker," specifically targeting the most desirable guys.
Now, Chi Jia had figured it out. To avoid hurting others and herself, the best way was to not start a relationship easily, a responsibility to both parties.
Like in the past, she would have definitely accepted Qin Dong's pursuit, but not now.
She could live well on her own.
After last night's "final indulgence," today, they acted as if nothing had happened. Calm and composed.
Even if she felt something, Chi Jia wouldn't show it. She didn't know what Jing Rui was thinking, but the vixen seemed indifferent, so Chi Jia, in a competitive spirit, acted even more nonchalant.
Around 5:30 PM, Chi Jia received a call from Jian Yi, inviting her to watch the sunset on the mountain.
Chi Jia agreed. They missed the sunrise, but the sunset was fine too. Having come all this way, she should at least see the sun.
After changing her clothes, Chi Jia was ready to go when she saw Miss Jing had finally abandoned her high heels and changed into hiking attire. She looked good in anything, as expected.
"Hey… don't go if your foot hurts." Chi Jia packed her bag, kindly reminding her, "I'm not carrying you again."
Jing Rui had changed into sneakers, looking refreshed. She walked over to Chi Jia and smiled. "My foot has always been fine."
Always been fine? Chi Jia felt tricked again. "Then why did you make me carry you last night!"
"I told you it wasn't necessary." Since they were here to relax, Jing Rui's makeup was light, but her aura was still as strong as ever, although a hint of fatigue lingered on her face from last night's activities. She leaned against the wall and looked at Chi Jia. "Besides, I could tell you wanted to carry me, so I let you."
Chi Jia: "..."
Fine, she couldn't win against her. Chi Jia felt foolish for bothering to care about the vixen.
It was 6 PM, too late to hike up the mountain; they would only see stars by the time they reached the top. Chi Jia and Jing Rui went to take the cable car, planning to meet Yun Xin and Jian Yi at the top.
At the convenience store at the foot of the mountain, Chi Jia grabbed a bottle of water. She almost casually asked Jing Rui if she wanted anything, but remembering their earlier exchange, she decided against it, paid for her water, and left.
Jing Rui took out her wallet to buy two cable car tickets.
Chi Jia cut in front of her and said, "I'll buy my own, let's go Dutch."
Jing Rui sighed, leaned closer to Chi Jia, and whispered, "Should we also split the hotel bill from when we slept together?"
Thinking of that night in the presidential suite, Chi Jia frowned. "I'll pay you back when we get back!"
That night probably cost her a month's salary.
"Two tickets." Jing Rui paid and took the tickets, glancing at the sullen Chi Jia. "Let's go, it'll be dark soon if we don't hurry."
The cable car seated four people. Chi Jia got in and sat diagonally opposite Jing Rui, keeping as much distance as possible, silent throughout the ride.
"Hey, beautiful ladies~"
Chi Jia turned around; two handsome guys were enthusiastically greeting her. Used to being hit on, she smiled flirtatiously and replied, "Hey~"
She wanted Jing Rui to know that she was still more interested in men.
"Um… excuse me, could you please sit over there? We'd like to sit together."
"..." Chi Jia was speechless. She looked at the two guys, so obviously gay, what was the point of two men sitting together? Couldn't they see there were two beautiful women in the cable car? Men these days really didn't know how to appreciate opportunities.
Although she thought this, Chi Jia still gave up her seat, reluctantly sitting next to Jing Rui.
Jing Rui looked at the two men, then at Chi Jia, and smiled.
"What are you smiling about..."
Jing Rui glanced at her. "Not allowed to smile now?"
The cable car slowly ascended. Chi Jia sipped her water, looking at the scenery outside, feeling like time was moving incredibly slowly.
"Give me some water." Jing Rui nudged Chi Jia with her elbow.
"Why didn't you buy your own just now?" Chi Jia complained, but still handed her water bottle to Jing Rui.
Jing Rui took the bottle and drank directly from it, where Chi Jia had just drunk.
"Hey! Who told you to drink from the bottle?" Chi Jia said, her voice not too loud, but not too soft either.
Jing Rui capped the bottle and handed it back to Chi Jia, as if it was the most natural thing to do. "We've already kissed, you still care about this?"
A chuckle came from the two handsome guys opposite them.
Chi Jia blushed. "Jing Rui! Shut up!"
"It's okay, it's okay," the two guys quickly embraced, showing off their affection, and explained with a smile, "We're also a couple."
Chi Jia looked at the affectionate couple, dumbfounded. What did "also a couple" mean? She quickly tried to clarify her relationship with Jing Rui. "We're not like that!"
She kept saying they weren't "like that," but they had kissed and slept together.
"Haha, playful banter is a sign of affection. My partner is the same; a little argument spices things up. You two look good together. We were just guessing you were a couple. Best wishes to you both." The two guys were beaming, like they had found kindred spirits.
Chi Jia was incredibly embarrassed. How did this even happen? Just because they were sharing a cable car, she and Jing Rui were now considered a couple?
"Thank you, you two are a good match too." Jing Rui, who had been smiling silently, finally spoke, her words only adding to the misunderstanding.
Chi Jia glared at Jing Rui and stopped talking. She and this crazy woman were on completely different wavelengths.
As soon as they got off the cable car.
"I told you, don't mention that night again."
Jing Rui asked, "Did I?"
"You just..."
"Besides those two nights, haven't you kissed me before?"
"I can't reason with you!" Chi Jia strode forward, not because she couldn't reason with Jing Rui, but because she felt guilty.
How could she pretend that what happened never happened?
The mobile signal was spotty in many areas on the mountain. After they went up, Chi Jia couldn't find Jian Yi and couldn't reach her by phone either.
The group of four ended up splitting into two pairs.
Jing Rui thought it was just as well, giving Yun Xin and Jian Yi more alone time.
The sun began to set.
The mountain at dusk was bathed in a golden glow, everything edged with gold. The wind rustled through the trees, calming even the most restless heart.
"Look, such a big egg yolk..." Chi Jia's eyes crinkled with a smile as she looked at the setting sun. Turning to speak, she was reminded that the person standing next to her was Jing Rui, her face stunningly beautiful in the golden light.
Designers were often more sensitive to beauty. From a purely aesthetic perspective, Miss Jing standing there looked like something out of a magazine, her aura captivating.
Jing Rui smiled along with Chi Jia. Chi Jia rarely smiled, and when she did, it was always unrestrained, a bright, carefree grin that revealed a row of white teeth.
Smiling girls were indeed pleasant to look at.
"All you think about is food." Jing Rui teased her, recalling Chi Jia's usual eating habits. Come to think of it, Chi Jia hadn't been to Number Nine for quite some time, and she herself hadn't been in the kitchen for a while either.
As Chi Jia took pictures of the sunset with her phone, Jing Rui captured a picture of Chi Jia's profile in the fading light.
After sunset, Jing Rui finally managed to contact Yun Xin. Yun Xin and Jian Yi had already gone down the mountain.
"Let's go, it's the last cable car down!" Checking the time, Chi Jia grabbed Jing Rui's hand and started running. She had been the star athlete in her class since middle school, excelling in running, jumping, and swimming.
"Chi Jia, slow down." This was the first time Jing Rui had been dragged like this, running so ungracefully in public. Chi Jia's stamina was indeed impressive, how impressive, Jing Rui had… experienced last night.
"Can you hurry up?" Chi Jia urged Jing Rui impatiently.
Jing Rui frowned and stopped. "My ankle hurts."
Chi Jia also stopped, just like last night, bending down in front of Jing Rui. "I'll carry you."
"Chi Jia, hey..." Before she could protest, Jing Rui was already on Chi Jia's back. "Put me down, I can walk myself."
"Stop talking nonsense."
Jing Rui looked at Chi Jia's face. She seemed delicate, but her personality was much more straightforward than most, except for her tendency to say one thing and mean another, which was rather frustrating. For a moment, Jing Rui thought, if only Chi Jia could accept women, everything would be perfect.
Carrying Jing Rui on her back, Chi Jia again felt a sense of ambiguity between them. She realized that her dislike for Jing Rui seemed to be mixed with a bit of fondness. But this sudden fondness would probably be fleeting, like her previous relationships.
Coming and going quickly. Not worth dwelling on.
They caught the last cable car down. There weren't many people at this hour, so Chi Jia and Jing Rui had a car to themselves.
Being alone together made it awkward.
It was getting dark, the moon hidden behind the clouds, appearing and disappearing intermittently.
Chi Jia and Jing Rui sat facing each other, the silence unusual. Chi Jia took out her phone, scrolling aimlessly to pass the time, but her mind was elsewhere.
Jing Rui also took out her phone, inadvertently finding the picture she had secretly taken of Chi Jia that afternoon. A casual shot, but it captured something special. She considered deleting it, but hesitated.
The cable car continued its descent, the wind whistling past.
"Chi Jia..." Jing Rui suddenly stood up and sat next to Chi Jia, shoulder to shoulder, very close.
Today, whenever she was with Jing Rui, Chi Jia couldn't find peace. The memory of last night's entanglement kept surfacing. So when Jing Rui suddenly sat next to her, Chi Jia's heart pounded, unsure what Jing Rui was about to say, or… do.
Even a few seconds of silence felt long.
Jing Rui turned to Chi Jia. "Let's give it a try."
"What?" Chi Jia also turned her head, their eyes meeting in the dim, quiet space. Riding the cable car at night seemed more romantic than during the day.
"Let's date."
Date. Chi Jia never expected to hear these words from Jing Rui. She was momentarily surprised, her heart skipping a beat.
Jing Rui's tone was light and casual, a smile playing on her lips, beautiful and enigmatic. But Chi Jia was certain that for Miss Jing, "dating" wasn't a word said after careful consideration.
Chi Jia chuckled nonchalantly, tilting her head back. "Are you asking me out?"
Jing Rui looked into Chi Jia's eyes and smiled. "Yes."
"I seem to recall you saying you weren't interested in every woman." Chi Jia brought up the past; Jing Rui's words back then clearly implied she wasn't interested in Chi Jia.
Jing Rui replied calmly, "But I'm interested in you now."
Although Chi Jia had repeatedly said she wasn't interested in women, Jing Rui still confessed her feelings today. Was this considered breaking her own rules? Jing Rui never liked wasting time and energy on the same thing repeatedly.
"I refuse." Chi Jia's rejection was swift and decisive.
Jing Rui simply smiled. She had never been rejected so directly. Since Chi Jia wasn't interested, she didn't bother asking why; it was pointless.
"What era are we living in? Do we have to date just because we slept together? Don't tell me you're serious?" Chi Jia still wore a dismissive smile, successfully appearing even more nonchalant than Jing Rui. Not satisfied, she asked smugly, "Don't tell me you've fallen for me?"
As if whoever took it seriously first would lose.
Jing Rui looked at Chi Jia in silence for a moment. "You're half right."
"Ah..." Chi Jia gasped softly as Jing Rui suddenly cornered her, catching her off guard.
Their bodies pressed together, noses touching, their breaths mingling as they looked at each other, their lips almost touching.
"Jing Rui..." Chi Jia's voice trembled slightly, her heart racing uncontrollably.
"I do like you," Jing Rui whispered, her lips close to Chi Jia's, but not quite touching. "Like last night."
She emphasized the word "like," and Chi Jia understood what she meant. Just as Chi Jia was about to push Jing Rui away, Jing Rui released her and sat back down on the opposite seat, a calm smile on her face.
Chi Jia, on the other hand, was blushing from their close encounter. She smoothed her hair, sat up straight, and glared at Jing Rui, slightly annoyed. "I said I don't want to be entangled with you! Let's just pretend..."
"Pretend nothing happened." Jing Rui interrupted Chi Jia, finishing her sentence. "I understand, you don't have to repeat yourself."
"Then why did you just..."
"I thought you might be interested after last night."
They weren't drunk last night, they were both sober and enjoyed themselves.
Chi Jia looked out the window at the hazy night view. "I won't consider dating a woman."
"Sorry," Jing Rui said with her usual smile, also looking out the window. "It won't happen again."
Chi Jia couldn't remember how many times she had said those words. She didn't want to be entangled with a woman; if she really fell for a woman, it would be troublesome. Coming out would be difficult; if her mother found out, she might have a heart attack.
"Is dating a woman that scary?" Jing Rui raised an eyebrow. "You say you're not interested in dating women, yet you're meeting women online?"
"I… I was just curious." Chi Jia was speechless about being matched with Jing Rui on the lesbian dating app. "Besides, aren't you also here to play around?"
Chi Jia kept insisting she had no feelings for women, but even she didn't believe herself anymore.
Jing Rui didn't argue with Chi Jia. There were plenty of women who liked women but ended up marrying men. Sometimes it wasn't just about sexual orientation, but personal choice.
"Chi Jia, if you ever want to find a woman again, consider me."
Chi Jia didn't respond, not wanting to continue this topic. Although she inwardly agreed with Jing Rui, she had been to the lesbian bar and didn't feel anything. Many people had hit on her, but no one compared to Jing Rui.
A minute later, the cable car reached the bottom.
"How much was the hotel room last time? I'll give you..." Chi Jia hesitated, then decided to say it.
Probably only Miss Chi could render Jing Rui speechless. Jing Rui coldly replied, "No need, after all, I was the one who seduced you, wasn't I?"
Chi Jia remained silent as Jing Rui walked away.
Back at the hotel, they checked out and drove back to L City.
Chi Jia and Jing Rui didn't speak during the drive back. Jian Yi naively assumed they were tired from discussing the design proposal all night, but Yun Xin sensed something was amiss.
After dropping Chi Jia and then Jian Yi off, only Jing Rui and Yun Xin were left in the car.
Jing Rui moved from the backseat to the passenger seat, asking Yun Xin with a smile, "How's it going with your little lover? Did you hit a home run?"
"Don't joke around."
"Sharing a bed, and nothing happened between you two last night?"
Yun Xin didn't answer, instead throwing the question back at Jing Rui. "What's going on with you and Xiao Jia?"
Jing Rui's expression turned slightly melancholic at the mention of Chi Jia. "What do you mean?"
"You two didn't wake up this morning. Xiao Yi said you and Xiao Jia stayed up all night discussing the proposal. Xiao Yi might believe that, but do you think I would?"
"Chi Jia is the girl I told you about last month," Jing Rui had mentioned the incident to Yun Xin, about getting drunk and sleeping with a girl. "Last night, we slept together again."
"It was Chi Jia?" This was unexpected for Yun Xin. "What are you thinking?"
"It was mutual, what's the problem?"
"Jing Rui, are you serious? I hope you're not hurting Xiao Jia…" Yun Xin couldn't help but worry; Jing Rui did change girlfriends rather frequently.
"Yun Xin, you and Jian Yi have only known each other for how long, and you're already speaking up for her friend?" Jing Rui was feeling frustrated. She rubbed her forehead. "You say I'm hurting Chi Jia? It's more like she's hurting me."
This was the first time Yun Xin had heard Miss Jing sound so aggrieved. "What happened?"
"I'll tell you next time, I'm a bit tired today." Before getting out of the car, Jing Rui added, "Anyway, there's nothing between me and Chi Jia, it was just a fling. You know I don't like getting involved with straight girls."
"Okay, get some rest." Yun Xin wasn't convinced; she felt Jing Rui was different this time.
Back home, taking a shower.
In the bathroom, Chi Jia stood naked in front of the mirror, her body covered in marks left by Jing Rui last night, from top to bottom. The hickeys had darkened, stark against her fair skin.
Because it was supposed to be the "last time," she had been particularly unrestrained. Chi Jia had never understood what it meant to lose control, until last night, when she and Jing Rui spent the entire night entangled in bed.
After showering, Chi Jia took a few cans of cold beer from the fridge, opened them all, lined them up on the table, and started drinking them one by one, sullenly.
Let's date…
Thinking of what Jing Rui had said on the cable car, Chi Jia wanted to laugh. She had actually felt a flicker of something when Jing Rui asked her out. It was one thing to be easily attracted to men, but now she was attracted to women too?
It was just a matter of time; she would eventually forget about it. Chi Jia's feelings were always fleeting; "long-lasting" wasn't in her vocabulary.
Would there really be someone who would make her willing to risk everything? Chi Jia doubted such an ideal existed.
After finishing the beer, Chi Jia scribbled "Jing Rui" on the empty cans with a marker, then crushed them one by one. A childish act, but it made her feel better.
Her luck with relationships had been terrible these past two months, even losing her virginity in a drunken haze. Chi Jia lay on her back in bed, thinking about all the chaotic events of the past two months. Almost cheated on, breaking up, a one-night stand with a woman, and that woman happened to be her ex-boyfriend's dream girl?
Chi Jia thought about many things, but in the end, only Jing Rui remained in her mind. She couldn't sleep again.
September was even busier than Chi Jia had imagined, almost overwhelming her with work.
Chi Jia didn't mind; the more she worked, the more she earned. As long as her salary increased every month, she didn't care about working non-stop. A hardworking bee, drawn to the honey pot of money, was an accurate description of Chi Jia.
Thanks to Jing Rui's projects, Chi Jia's commission was substantial, making others envious.
Another reason for celebration was that her "rotten luck" with relationships had finally ended. Qin Dong had stopped pestering her, and Jing Rui…
It had been over a week since they returned from Fengshan Mountain, and Chi Jia hadn't seen Jing Rui. They had spoken on the phone once, Jing Rui saying she was busy, and the design proposal would be postponed until October.
Nothing more.
Their relationship was now perfectly normal, no contact. But Chi Jia wasn't as happy as she thought she would be, and she didn't even celebrate. Without those annoying distractions, she didn't understand why she still felt down.
Now that Qin Dong was no longer waiting for her at N Bar, Chi Jia resumed singing there. She was used to drinking at her usual spot; suddenly changing places felt uncomfortable.
Work, overtime, occasionally singing; Chi Jia's life was back on track, except for the increased frequency of erotic dreams.
And the object of her dreams was always Jing Rui.
Chi Jia comforted herself; it was because she had only slept with the vixen, so it was understandable.
The bar was noisy and crowded. Jing Rui walked through the crowd and found a good spot to listen to the music.
The sound of a guitar, and a familiar, melodious voice. Jing Rui looked up; Chi Jia was singing in the spotlight.
Chi Jia never paid much attention to the audience when she sang, only glancing briefly. Her gaze inadvertently fell on Jing Rui, their eyes meeting.
Vixen…
At that moment, Chi Jia's fingers slipped on the guitar strings, messing up the melody. She hadn't made such a low-level mistake in a long time. Chi Jia apologized into the microphone. "Sorry about that."
The music resumed.
Jing Rui sipped her wine, quietly listening.
After three songs, Chi Jia sat at her usual spot, drinking alone. She looked back; Jing Rui was sitting not far behind her, also alone.
Chi Jia looked at her for a couple of seconds, then turned back and continued drinking.
When Jing Rui looked back at Chi Jia, she was gulping down her drink.
Not bothering each other, like strangers. They were both doing a good job of it.
On Friday, Chi Jia went to the bar to sing again, and the vixen was sitting at her usual spot, quietly listening, just like last time.
Chi Jia initially thought it was a coincidence, but after several times, she realized that whenever she performed, she would definitely see Jing Rui. And Jing Rui was always dressed impeccably, yet sitting alone in the bar.
But Jing Rui didn't invite her for a drink, or even speak to her.
Another song ended, and as Chi Jia walked off stage, distracted, she twisted her ankle and fell, embarrassing herself in front of everyone.
Jing Rui immediately stood up and walked towards Chi Jia, helping her up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine..." Chi Jia looked up and saw Jing Rui's face. It didn't hurt, but it was embarrassing.
It had been over half a month, and this was the first time they had spoken face to face. As they looked at each other, their gazes lingered, perhaps because they were both lost in thought.
Although they hadn't seen each other, they had appeared in each other's dreams more than once during this time.
"Want to drink together?" Jing Rui spoke first.
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind."
Chi Jia stopped Jing Rui, asking with a smile, "Every time I'm here, you're here too. What's that about, Miss Jing?"
Jing Rui took a step closer to Chi Jia, a sly smile playing on her lips. "How do you know I'm always here?"
Hmm
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