Chapter 249: The Price

Jiang Lai’s tongue grazed the corner of her mouth, carrying a warmth and an indescribable softness like a feather lightly brushing past. Shen Ruxue’s pupils contracted at Jiang Lai’s action; she could clearly feel that touch.

She hadn’t even reacted yet, her lips still wet.

But Jiang Lai was quite satisfied with herself—she hadn’t let a single drop fall. She was simply amazing.

Before Jiang Lai could feel smug about her “clever” move, she met Shen Ruxue’s suddenly wide eyes.

They reflected her flushed cheeks and a trace of lingering shock.

She realized belatedly what she had just done, her fingertips instantly tensing, her breath catching for a beat.

“I-I was just afraid of dirtying your clothes…”

Jiang Lai hurriedly averted her gaze, her fingers subconsciously picking at the edge of the blanket, her voice trailing off. Sure enough, her action just now had been too impulsive.

But thinking it over, the two of them were already so close that they were practically one. What just happened… it should be fine, right?

Yet Jiang Lai clearly remembered that she had earlier said she would let Shen Ruxue work properly and not disturb her. And now she had done this—she felt a bit untrustworthy.

“I didn’t see any tissue either, so I did that.”

The more Jiang Lai explained, the more flustered she became, even she thought the excuse was weak. So she simply buried her face in the crook of Shen Ruxue’s neck, like an ostrich, not daring to look at anyone.

Once hidden, Jiang Lai’s warm breath swept across Shen Ruxue’s skin, carrying a flustered muffled sound.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I was just too eager… Do you think I’m disgusting…”

Shen Ruxue’s stiff body took a while to relax. That soft sensation just now was like a little feather, gently tickling her heart, even making her fingertips tingle. Her hair was soft.

“It’s fine.”

She raised her hand and gently stroked Jiang Lai’s hair buried in the curve of her neck.

Shen Ruxue’s voice was softer than usual, even carrying a tenderness she herself hadn’t noticed.

“I don’t dislike you, and I certainly don’t think you’re disgusting. I just feel like my face isn’t very clean—it must have some dust on it. That’s what I mind.”

She paused, then couldn’t help adding, “It’s not unpleasant. I really like when you’re intimate with me…”

“That’s good.”

Jiang Lai nuzzled into her neck like a comforted kitten, her voice soft and sticky. Although she felt a bit like she was closing the barn door after the horse had bolted, she liked it. As long as it was something Xiaoxue wanted to do, she liked it.

“Sure, I’m fine with anything.”

But the arms she had wrapped around Shen Ruxue’s waist tightened slightly. Her palm pressed against the curve of the other’s waist beneath the shirt, clearly feeling the warmth of her skin, and her heartbeat began to race again.

The study grew quiet again, leaving only the clack-clack of the keyboard, but the atmosphere was different from before. The air seemed to carry a faint sweetness, and even their intertwined breaths felt sticky.

Shen Ruxue stared at the words on the screen, but her gaze kept drifting to the person behind her. Jiang Lai’s chin rested lightly on her shoulder, and her eyelashes occasionally brushed against Shen Ruxue’s cheek, tickling her until her heart trembled.

After typing a paragraph, Shen Ruxue subconsciously raised a hand to rub her brow, but the moment her fingertips touched her skin, another warm hand covered them. Jiang Lai’s palm was warm, pressing lightly on her brow with just the right strength to relieve fatigue.

“Tired?”

Jiang Lai’s voice sounded in her ear, laced with concern.

“You’ve been staring at the screen for almost an hour. Your eyes will get sore.”

Shen Ruxue leaned into her arms, softly “mm-hmm”-ing, letting her massage her. Actually, she had been a bit tired for a while, but thinking of Jiang Lai accompanying her made her want to hold on a little longer, finish early, and go back to sleep together.

“Can you kiss me?”

Shen Ruxue turned her head, her nose brushing Jiang Lai’s cheek.

“Kiss my eyes. Once I finish this, that’ll be enough.”

“I-I kiss you now?”

Jiang Lai’s voice trembled a little, but she still leaned forward gently. Shen Ruxue softly “mm-hmm”-ed and closed her eyes. Her long lashes cast faint shadows under her eyes.

Jiang Lai looked at her relaxed features, slowly leaned down, and her warm breath first fell on Shen Ruxue’s eyelids. The next second, soft lips gently pressed against Shen Ruxue’s eyelid. Like a feather falling softly, so light it had almost no weight, yet it made Shen Ruxue’s lashes tremble slightly.

Jiang Lai didn’t linger either; she kissed both eyes, ending in a few seconds. Now Jiang Lai even held herself back, afraid that if she kissed too passionately, things might heat up and Shen Ruxue wouldn’t be able to work.

Shen Ruxue slowly opened her eyes, a smile rippling in them. She raised her hand and gently pinched Jiang Lai’s red earlobe.

“When we get to bed later, kiss me more.”

She turned her head back to the screen, and when her fingers landed on the keyboard, they were lighter than before.

About twenty minutes later, Shen Ruxue finally handled the last file. She raised her hand to turn off the screen, let out a long sigh, then immediately turned around, leaned back in the chair, pulled Jiang Lai into her arms, rested her chin on top of her head, and kept absorbing the sweet scent from Jiang Lai.

Jiang Lai buried herself in her embrace, her heart filled with peace. She raised her hand and gently patted Shen Ruxue’s back, as if comforting her.

“Just now, I almost couldn’t control myself.”

Shen Ruxue nodded with a smile, took Jiang Lai’s hand to stand up, first wrapped Jiang Lai tightly in the blanket, then scooped her up and walked straight toward the bedroom.

“Let’s go back to sleep now, okay?”

***

Jiang Lai had always had a notion: Shen Ruxue was very busy, so busy that she might not even have time to eat on ordinary days. But she never expected the other to start working from the moment she woke up early in the morning.

In Jiang Lai’s memory from yesterday, after Shen Ruxue had finished her work, although they shared a little intimacy, even if it didn’t last long, it was still quite late. She had thought they could both get a good night’s sleep and rest.

But when Jiang Lai woke up the next day, she found that the spot beside her was already empty, and she didn’t even know when Shen Ruxue had gotten up. Jiang Lai looked at the empty space beside her, picked up her phone, and glanced at the time. She had thought she had slept for a long time, but the time on her phone wasn’t even 8:30 yet.

Also, she was actually a bit unaccustomed to this bed. If it were with Aunt, she would probably have slept straight until noon. The reason she woke up so early, besides not having someone to hold beside her…

Jiang Lai did a quick calculation: if she got up now, she had only slept a little over four hours.

And what about Shen Ruxue, who had already gotten up?