Night had fallen. Xu Ruobing stood quietly by the car, her gaze fixed on Jiang Lai’s retreating figure climbing the stairs. Only after that silhouette gradually disappeared into the shadows of the corridor did she reluctantly get back into the car. She closed the door slowly, took a deep breath, and then picked up the phone she had just remembered.
When she saw the message on her phone, a complex, inscrutable glimmer passed through her eyes, which had been dimmed by dejection. Then she fell into a long silence. Because she didn’t know if what she was doing was right…
“The photos of the hug have all been taken. The camera and memory card will be delivered to the studio, and there will be no chance of any leaks.”
Xu Ruobing stared at this message, her fingers unconsciously tracing lightly over the screen. The Jiang Lai she deeply loved had become someone else’s lover—how could she really be as magnanimous and generous as she appeared on the surface?
In that hug just now, if Jiang Lai had put her hand on her back and held her tightly, she wouldn’t have felt so unbalanced. Thinking that she had now become the one being pushed away, a suffocating wave of distress spread through her entire body.
Taking photos of the hug had long been part of Xu Ruobing’s plan. She thought that when the right time came, she would create some scandal involving herself and Jiang Lai.
She was well aware that once the rumor spread, Jiang Lai would be forced to be tied to her. Once this thought took root in her mind, it grew wildly.
Xu Ruobing knew how despicable, how lacking in moral boundaries, even downright vile her thoughts were.
She was no longer satisfied with just being an ordinary friend by Jiang Lai’s side. She didn’t want to endure any longer the feeling of only being able to interact as a friend while watching Jiang Lai show affection to someone else.
Earlier, while attending an event outside, Xu Ruobing had seen the message Jiang Lai sent, saying she was already with someone else.
When she learned about this, her emotions almost collapsed. If the event hadn’t been over yet, she would have wanted to rush back immediately. She knew she had fallen into a near-mad state, but she was powerless to stop it, and didn’t want to stop it.
Now, although she couldn’t openly compete, that didn’t mean she couldn’t make some moves in the shadows. In her view, for the one she loved, stooping to a little unscrupulousness was nothing.
After confirming her thoughts, Xu Ruobing put away her phone and prepared to return to the studio early so she could check how the photos turned out.
Because, all things considered, this photo of the two of them hugging counted as the only somewhat formal photo with Jiang Lai.
As for photos of them together, many had been captured from previous live streams, but those were ultimately different. She still wanted more and better photos with Jiang Lai.
Jiang Lai arrived at the floor where Chi Yingyu’s office was. Before she even approached the law firm, she saw Chi Yingyu’s busy figure. She didn’t rush in, because she knew that once she appeared in the office, she would attract Chi Yingyu’s attention, and then she wouldn’t be able to work properly.
Jiang Lai stood quietly in the corridor, watching Chi Yingyu’s tall figure.
If this were before, seeing her sister-in-law looking so outstanding, she would have felt a sense of pride as an elder seeing their own child excel.
But now, the feelings that arose in her heart were completely different.
Chi Yingyu was truly excellent. Since she had chosen to be with her, she had to live up to everything Chi Yingyu had given her. That was Jiang Lai’s nature—either she didn’t do something, or if she did, she gave it her all.
Jiang Lai couldn’t distinguish between like and love. Her romantic experience consisted only of this current relationship with her sister-in-law and the one with her former wife.
She hadn’t felt her heart race in a long time, so she couldn’t tell what feelings she actually held for her sister-in-law.
But she was very clear about one thing—she desperately wanted her sister-in-law to stay by her side forever, to be together always, never to be apart.
The greatest happiness for the rest of her life would be to spend it peacefully with her sister-in-law.
Jiang Lai stood for a while in the corridor outside the law firm’s entrance. Only after Chi Yingyu finished her work and returned to her own office did Jiang Lai compose herself and walk in.
Most of the people in the law firm knew her. Although Jiang Lai didn’t visit often, when they saw her, they just glanced up briefly and then continued with their work.
Jiang Lai walked to the office door, raised her hand, and knocked lightly. Her movements were soft, afraid of disturbing Chi Yingyu’s work.
“Come in.”
Chi Yingyu’s familiar voice soon came from inside.
Jiang Lai pushed open the door and saw Chi Yingyu sitting at her desk, with piles of documents stacked in front of her, almost hiding her face.
When she saw Jiang Lai come in, Chi Yingyu was momentarily stunned. A complex emotion flickered in her eyes—surprise mixed with confusion. She hadn’t expected Jiang Lai to show up suddenly without prior notice.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Then I could have come to pick you up.”
Chi Yingyu stood up and walked around the desk toward Jiang Lai.
“If you came to pick me up, what about your work? You work hard, and I’ll wait for you to finish. Let’s eat out tonight, okay?”
Jiang Lai said with a smile, her eyes tender. Watching her sister-in-law approach, she gently pushed her back into her seat.
“Focus on your work. Don’t worry about me. I’ll wait here.”
Chi Yingyu nodded and returned to her work.
Jiang Lai had originally planned to play on her phone, but seeing her sister-in-law’s concentrated look, she put the phone back in her pocket. She would rather just watch her like this.
To look at Chi Yingyu more, to firmly remember everything about her.
Only when Chi Yingyu finished a segment of work and looked up did Jiang Lai withdraw her gaze.
“Why were you staring at me just now? Is there something on my face?”
Chi Yingyu had intended to stand up and sit together with Jiang Lai, but Jiang Lai gently pressed her back into her seat.
“Let me give you a massage. You’ve worked so hard all day; I want to reward you properly.”
“Then can I get a kiss as a reward?”
“No.”
Jiang Lai refused bluntly. Seeing her sister-in-law look a little dejected, she couldn’t help but smile, gently placing her hands on her shoulders and then pinching her cheek.
“But if you answer my questions obediently, I’ll give you a reward later.”
Jiang Lai tried to make her voice sound gentle yet firm, reaching out to gently hold Chi Yingyu’s hand.
Chi Yingyu was silent for a moment, as if thinking, and her voice trembled slightly: “What do you want to talk about?”
She knew very well that once her brother-in-law used that tone, there was almost no room for refusal. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she tried to organize her thoughts, her chest rising and falling softly.
“Ying Yu, this is about me. I know you’ve been troubled lately, and I’ve asked you before, but why won’t you tell me? Or have I done something wrong… Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
Jiang Lai’s voice was soft and gentle. If it really was her fault, she would change.
After accepting the relationship with her sister-in-law, her only thought was to spend the rest of her life with her.
“It’s not about you. It’s my problem.”
Chi Yingyu pulled Jiang Lai’s hand to her cheek and gently rubbed against it.
“This is my problem.”
She didn’t know how to explain. She couldn’t just spill everything that had happened to her—not only would that reveal her true identity, but the seemingly sweet relationship she had with her brother-in-law would also collapse instantly.
“I was thinking, if you meet someone you like more in the future, will you leave me?”
“No, I won’t.”
Jiang Lai gently hugged her from behind, her movements tender. “Since I chose to be with you, you can rest assured. As long as you’re by my side, I’ll always be with you.”
Right now, she was truly willing to give everything for her sister-in-law.
She was the person she loved most at this moment, the one she wanted to spend her life with.
This longing had almost become tangible. Jiang Lai could feel her heart changing little by little—a feeling that came naturally, born from within.
Chi Yingyu felt her confession, but her heart was complicated.
She knew that her brother-in-law’s love for her now was real, and she truly wanted to accompany her for life.
But could this feeling change one day?
When that day came, would she still be loved so firmly as she was now?
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