Her palm wrapped with just the right amount of force, Jiang Lai leaned softly in her embrace, unable to hold back a soft hum.
“A bit lower, to the left. Yesterday, when you pinned me against the headboard, this is where I was the sorest.”
Xu Ruobing’s fingertip slowly circled Jiang Lai’s waist and abdomen, her warm palm gently kneading the sore, tender spots.
Xu Ruobing heard this, and though she felt heartache, she felt even more smug.
Yesterday, she had surpassed her usual limits because a suppressed flame of jealousy had made her a little rough.
Now she had to compensate properly, so no matter how Jiang Lai directed her, Xu Ruobing would obey, her voice even carrying a soft, sticky apology.
“I just couldn’t control myself then… If I’d known it would make you this sore today, I would have been gentler yesterday.”
As she spoke, she lowered her head and kissed Jiang Lai’s crown of the head, her breath sweeping past her auricle.
“Are you feeling better now? If it still hurts, why don’t we just stay in the hotel and sleep another day? I’ll book tomorrow’s plane ticket for you, okay?”
Xu Ruobing said this both out of heartache and because she wanted Jiang Lai to stay with her longer.
Two days really had passed in the blink of an eye. Why did happy times always go by so quickly?
Jiang Lai naturally caught the dependence hidden in Xu Ruobing’s words. Smiling, she turned around, hooked her arm around her neck, and pressed her forehead against hers.
“Tomorrow morning, I definitely won’t be able to get up. And with you rubbing me like this, I’m already not sore anymore.”
Her fingertip gently traced the dark circles under Xu Ruobing’s eyes.
“What about you? Yesterday, you were clearly more tired than I was. How are you still so energetic today?”
Xu Ruobing curled into her embrace, chin resting on her shoulder, voice muffled.
“Because I know you’re leaving today, I can’t bear to let go. I want to put all my attention on you. I really, really want to knead you into my body.”
As she spoke, her arm tightened again, as if she wanted to press Jiang Lai’s whole being into her own body.
Jiang Lai’s heart was both soft and aching. She raised her hand and gently stroked along her back.
“It’s fine. It’s not like we won’t be able to see each other again. We’ll have so many chances to meet in the future.”
“There’s still plenty of time ahead; we don’t lack this little while. Even though I really want to stay by your side, the time has already been arranged.”
Xu Ruobing hesitated for a moment, but she still nodded.
She didn’t immediately let go of her hand, just nuzzled against her neck hollow.
“Then let’s go eat in a little while. After we finish eating, I’ll take you to the airport, okay?”
“Okay, whatever you say.”
Jiang Lai smiled in agreement, reaching out to help her tidy her messy hair strands.
Under Xu Ruobing’s gentle caress, Jiang Lai took out her phone to search for good food nearby.
After Jiang Lai chose their lunch spot, she climbed out of bed, changed into comfortable clothes, and headed out.
The two walked out of the hotel hand in hand.
Xu Ruobing pulled her mask up higher and pressed her hat brim down low, revealing only a pair of eyes fixed tightly on Jiang Lai.
Jiang Lai looked at her cautious appearance and couldn’t help but chuckle, reaching out to adjust her hat brim.
“No need to be so nervous. It’s not rush hour now, and the place I picked is pretty out of the way. No one will notice us.”
Xu Ruobing, however, gently shook her head and tightened her grip on Jiang Lai’s hand.
“If we got recognized, we wouldn’t be able to have a proper meal together.”
As she spoke, she glanced at the closest restaurant Jiang Lai had chosen, her voice softening.
“Let’s hurry. I didn’t even get to treat you to a night snack last night, and you didn’t eat this morning either. You must be starving.”
Inside the restaurant, Jiang Lai chose a corner seat no one would notice so Xu Ruobing could eat in peace.
After sitting down, Xu Ruobing subconsciously scooted closer to Jiang Lai, only settling once their shoulders touched.
The waiter brought the menu, and Jiang Lai pushed it in front of Xu Ruobing.
“You order. See if there’s anything you want to eat.”
Xu Ruobing lowered her head and flipped through the menu, her fingertip slowly gliding over the dish names, unable to make a decision for a long time.
She never had much desire for food, and with Jiang Lai beside her now, she had even less interest in the dishes.
“I’m fine with anything. See if there’s anything you want… Since we rarely get to go out, want to check the specialty dishes?”
Jiang Lai didn’t stand on ceremony and simply ordered what she was interested in.
While waiting for the food, Xu Ruobing didn’t say much, just kept leaning against Jiang Lai, as if savoring the last moments they could spend together.
The two didn’t eat for very long.
After all, Xu Ruobing didn’t want Jiang Lai to have to rush to catch her plane. That would make her heart ache, and if she missed it, she would only cause Jiang Lai more trouble.
By the time they were almost done eating, the manager’s car was already parked nearby, so the two paid the bill and went out.
Xu Ruobing pulled Jiang Lai into the back seat.
The moment they got in, she rested her head on her shoulder, her arm tightly wrapped around hers.
The car was very quiet.
Xu Ruobing’s tears silently fell onto Jiang Lai’s coat, spreading into a small damp patch.
Jiang Lai noticed but didn’t call it out.
She just gently patted her back, like soothing a wronged kitten.
“We’ll see each other again soon. When we get back, we can still video call.”
Xu Ruobing’s voice was thick with nasal tone, her trailing tone trembling slightly.
“Okay…”
She buried her face deeper, her nose tip gently nuzzling Jiang Lai.
Jiang Lai raised her hand to slowly stroke her hair strands, her finger pad grazing her cool ear tip, her voice softer than cotton.
“Don’t film today. Go back to the hotel and rest well. I originally wanted you to have a good rest, but instead I ended up making you work hard for two days.”
Xu Ruobing softly hummed, “Mm,” her arm tightening again, fingers clutching Jiang Lai’s cuff turning white.
“It wasn’t tiring at all. Doing anything with you is rest to me…”
“Okay…”
When the car finally stopped at the airport parking lot, Jiang Lai opened the door from the inside, intending to grab her suitcase and walk straight in.
But as she stood by the car, she saw that Xu Ruobing’s door had opened as well.
The moment the suitcase was taken out, Xu Ruobing suddenly reached out and hugged Jiang Lai, burying her face in her neck hollow, her voice choked with sobs almost too faint to hear.
“Jiang Lai, you have to remember to miss me…”
Jiang Lai hugged her back, gently patting Xu Ruobing’s back, her voice trembling slightly too.
“I’ll miss you a lot.”
When they parted from the embrace, Xu Ruobing stood in place, watching Jiang Lai pull her suitcase and turn to walk into the airport.
Her emotions suddenly wilted like a plant.
Jiang Lai was now waiting for the day Xu Ruobing stopped liking her, so the two could part peacefully.
But she had no idea how deeply Xu Ruobing truly depended on her.
‘I will absolutely not let go that easily.’
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