CHAPTER 44

Under the floor lamp, everything still seemed slightly dim. In the interplay of light and shadow, there seemed to be an invisible river separating them.

After Xiaoyuan spoke, she hesitated, feeling like her words were ordinary yet akin to a huge stone thrown into a lake, causing ripples.

In the early hours of the morning, these invisible ripples floated up, landing on them, and Xiaoyuan felt a deep gaze breaking through these ripples and falling onto herself.

What exactly did signing this contract entail? There was no clear outline. Was it just dining together and meeting occasionally? Would there be incidents like the first night?

Xiaoyuan didn't voice these thoughts.

In this silence, she felt Wei Zhuang might have already known.

But why hadn't she responded yet?

Had she said something she shouldn't have said again?

Oh no, was she... getting angry again?

Xiaoyuan grew anxious, her heart racing, whispering to herself: Withdraw, hurry up and withdraw, move quickly.

She shifted slightly, only then hearing Wei Zhuang speak.

She said, "Come over here."

Xiaoyuan froze.

Wei Zhuang's tone wasn't demanding or commanding, she simply spoke, a sentence that seemed unlike her.

Like a wisp of smoke, drifting over, enveloping her, she couldn't withdraw.

In just a few steps, she found herself standing in front of Wei Zhuang, standing tall.

Wei Zhuang, however, didn't continue saying anything else.

It was very strange.

This wasn't like when she was younger and had done something wrong, being called in front of Xiang Zhishi to listen to his reasoning.

It also wasn't like in movies, where the male and female leads sit and stand, the one sitting pulling the one standing onto their lap, starting a passionate kiss.

Xiaoyuan was quite certain she was truly drunk, otherwise, how could her mind transition from one scene to the next so seamlessly?

Perhaps it wasn't just being drunk, maybe it was the result of watching too many romantic films while studying love scenes—an aftereffect.

She wasn't just drunk, she was also tired. God knew what time it was now. She didn't want to waste time with this older woman who had said so little.

She intended to turn around, but her foot caught on Wei Zhuang's shoe.

In the moment before falling, Xiaoyuan strangely had these distracting thoughts:

'This is way too much like a contrived accident from a romantic movie, isn't it?'

'If this were a romantic movie, wouldn't she end up falling into Wei Zhuang's arms?'

'Regardless, would Wei Zhuang catch her anyway?'

So when she suddenly fell onto the carpet, Xiaoyuan was completely stunned.

She slowly sat up, feeling inexplicably a bit aggrieved. She pouted, thinking that if it were her older brother or Cai Juan, they would definitely catch her.

Her bottom hurt a bit from the fall. She tried to stand up, feeling dizzy, but after an attempt, she couldn't get up, feeling even more aggrieved.

Why was she even here? She should be at home. Why did she feel like crying? Why was her head spinning...

Dazed, she managed to stand up but lost her balance, collapsing onto a warm body. Just as she was about to slide off, she was caught briefly, only to be released again, allowing her to steady herself.

Xiaoyuan blinked, feeling a faint, slightly cold fragrance brushing against her nose.

Was she sitting on Wei Zhuang's lap?

"I won't force you to do things you don't like. This was your request." Wei Zhuang's voice came from above her, and as she spoke, the fragrance grew stronger.

Xiaoyuan heard but seemed to not fully register.

"What do I need to do then?"

"..."

"Have you signed a contract with a woman before?" Unconsciously, switched from addressing her formally to informally, and Wei Zhuang didn't seem to mind.

"No." she replied.

"So I'm the first one, which means you don't know what to do either?"

"..."

"...I don't know either." Xiaoyuan murmured.

Xiaoyuan was very sleepy. Her head rested on Wei Zhuang's shoulder, and her eyes were nearly closing. The light she saw through her eyelids was minimal, making the room feel like a dark, lightless sea. Suddenly, it felt as if a jellyfish drifted by, brushing against her neck, leaving a tingling sensation like a toxic sting.

Xiaoyuan's body shuddered involuntarily, reflexively leaning back.

In a blink, the deep sea vanished, and she found herself once again in the warm light of the room.

Looking up, she saw Wei Zhuang's face. Her skin appeared translucent, as if kissed by light, but something hid in her eyes, shrouded in shadow.

At the same time, her neck itched again—not from a jellyfish, but from warm, soft fingers gently brushing her hair, trailing down to her collarbone.

Xiaoyuan giggled softy, shrinking back into the sofa. "It tickles... don't..."

Her chin pressed against the back of Wei Zhuang's hand, her voice light and soft, laced with sleepiness and the effects of alcohol. "...don't..."

Wei Zhuang withdrew her hand. After laughing, Xiaoyuan took a few breaths, her body slightly rising and falling. Her loose silk nightgown clung to her body, revealing her elegant curves with just a slight tug on the fabric.

She was drunk, her slightly angled face and neck exuding a delicate charm, while her eyes holding innocent watery gleams.

Xiaoyuan felt fuzzy, sensing a soft weight leaning against her. She blinked, seeing only shadows.

Her hair was brushed aside, and that familiar fragrance wafted over again.

"Um... it," she hadn't finished saying the word 'itchy' completely when she heard Wei Zhuang whisper, "Are you that afraid of being tickled?"

It felt like her face was close, nestled against her neck, just like before.

Xiaoyuan still had a bit of clarity. "...Pres..."

An even lighter, stranger sensation brushed against her neck, like a morning breeze carrying moisture.

Xiaoyuan shrank a bit, and the breeze paused before settling back onto her neck. She wanted to reach up to scratch it, but her body felt weak and limp, so she only let out a soft sound.

It didn't feel that ticklish anymore, but why did it come in waves, endless and persistent?

She shivered slightly, and after the breeze passed, a moist sensation lingered on her skin, carrying a familiar... fresh fragrance.

Like a breeze gliding over a lake, it created thin ripples, leaving her with a tingling sensation afterward.

It was still that tentative, exploratory feeling, but this time it felt a bit different. Xiaoyuan's knees trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but let out a few more sounds.

She somewhat understood, yet didn't quite comprehend. The weight on her body lightened, the soft sensation leaving her, everything seemed a bit distant but not entirely gone. In the dim halo, Wei Zhuang's gaze seemed to linger.

As one button came undone, it revealed a handful of pure snow.

When another button was undone, her cloud-like shoulders emerged.

Wei Zhuang's fingers slid down from the clouds, sinking between the snowy hills...

Xiaoyuan instinctively flinched, her skin glowing with a delicate porcelain-like hue under the light. For several seconds, the air thinned around her soft gasps, and Wei Zhuang, seemingly affected, leaned down again.

She saw Xiaoyuan's eyes, misty and clearly not sober anymore. Wei Zhuang pulled back slightly, averting her gaze, waiting for Xiaoyuan's breathing to gradually calm before she moved closer and fastened her buttons.

She naturally turned her over on the sofa, her back against it, and lowered her neck, finally falling into a deep sleep.

Wei Zhuang watched her for a moment before leaving.

Unbeknownst to them, the rain had already stopped.

Xiaoyuan slept soundly until the next day when she was awakened by the brilliant heat. She struggled to open her eyes and sat up, only to see half of the sofa bathed in vibrant sunlight.

She paused for a few seconds before realizing that she had slept on the sofa all night, covered with a thin blanket. As she sat up, the blanket slipped off.

Her mind was a bit hazy, and she couldn't recall the details of last night.

"Miss Xiang, you're awake?"

The sudden female voice startled her, and she immediately turned her head to find the person.

Assistant Gao sat in the chair opposite her, dressed simply yet elegantly, looking fresh and smiling as she greeted her.

Xiaoyuan blinked, suddenly alarmed, and reached for her phone but couldn't find it. She anxiously asked, "What time is it now?"

"Don't worry, I called your assistant this morning and asked him to request a half-day off from the director." Assistant Gao replied with a smile.

"Oh..." Xiaoyuan finally relaxed, rubbed her eyes, and stretching slightly.

From her sleeve emerged a snowy white arm, and at her waist, a slender figure resembling a delicate willow swayed gently in the morning light.

Assistant Gao observed her quietly. The nightgown was made of fine material, with a conservative and ordinary design, yet it exuded a unique charm on her.

Assistant Gao thought to herself:

'Even as a straight woman like me, I think this way, if women with a hint of same-s*x inclination see this, how could they resist...'

She smiled and said, "No need to rush, I'll take you after you finish your breakfast."

Xiaoyuan looked at her somewhat surprised, "Won't this affect your work?"

Assistant Gao received a call from Wei Zhuang very early this morning, asking her to stay and accompany Xiaoyuan on her flight.

"Don't wake her up so soon." Wei Zhuang said.

When Assistant Gao walked in, she found Xiaoyuan sleeping soundly on the sofa in the reception room.

Clearly, her boss had called her after midnight last night, and there were signs of terminating the contract early, yet this morning it felt as if nothing had happened.

This girl has some skills! She actually managed to calm her boss down! It's like a miracle!

Choosing to sleep on the sofa instead of the bed is a bit extreme, isn't it?

Assistant Gao pursed her lips. A good subordinate should always consider their boss's feelings and speak what their boss wants to say. She figured her cold and aloof boss probably didn't understand how important sweet words the next day were. It was her time to step in!

So she said, "Wei Zhuang specifically instructed me to take you there. Oh, the day off was also her order, she just wanted you to get more rest."

She looked at Xiaoyuan, who listened to her words, blinked in surprise. The blush on her cheeks, just awakened, seemed to deepen a bit. She brushed aside a few strands of hair on her cheek and softly uttered a "Mm."

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