In the past, Xu Ruobing had wished she could split one day into two, just so she could finish filming a little sooner. But now she had simply taken two days off, spending all that time to stay with Jiang Lai.
Only Jiang Lai knew that Xu Ruobing had been even more exhausted these past few days than when she was working. It made Jiang Lai worry whether the other’s body could even handle it.
Just when everyone thought Xu Ruobing could finally rest well during these two days…
At the very least, in the end, Jiang Lai still hoped Xu Ruobing could get one good day of rest.
Jiang Lai opened her eyes, looking at Xu Ruobing who had pressed herself on top of her early in the morning. She used both hands to push against the other’s shoulders, refusing her request to continue being intimate.
“Okay… no more. We went at it for so long yesterday. Today you should let me rest!”
Jiang Lai turned her head slightly, avoiding Xu Ruobing’s approaching lips. Her eyelashes still carried the fine watery shimmer of just waking up, and her voice was soft and hoarse from sleep, though her trailing tone held a coquettish reproach that brooked no refusal.
“Really, no more. I remember every single moment of yesterday clearly. Today, just let me savor it quietly and rest a bit, okay?”
As she spoke, she raised her left hand. The light pink pressure mark on the inside of her wrist was still clearly visible – it was left from Xu Ruobing grabbing her last night. The force hadn’t been too strong, but it couldn’t hold up against Xu Ruobing’s endurance lasting so long.
Xu Ruobing’s gaze landed on that mark, and her Adam’s apple rolled gently. The arm that had been propped beside Jiang Lai drew in slightly, but her body didn’t move away. Instead, she bent down to rest her chin in Jiang Lai’s neck hollow, the tip of her nose brushing against the delicate skin of her collarbone, her voice low as if she were being coquettish.
“Fine then. I won’t do any of that anymore. I’ll just hold you a little longer and not do anything else.”
“You said the exact same thing last night. And what happened? I still couldn’t fall asleep past midnight.”
Before Jiang Lai finished speaking, she felt her waist side gently squeezed by Xu Ruobing’s hand – a force that was a bit like punishment, yet tender enough to make one’s heart tremble.
“I won’t do it again… it’s fine… right now I just want to hold you and smell your scent.”
Xu Ruobing’s voice pressed against Jiang Lai’s ear, warm air drilling into her auricle.
Jiang Lai couldn’t help but laugh. As she turned her head, strands of hair brushed across Xu Ruobing’s cheek.
“But you can’t keep pressing down on me like this. I can barely feel my waist anymore.”
Hearing this, Xu Ruobing finally relented and propped herself up a little. Her gaze landed on Jiang Lai’s reddened outer eye corner, and she softly kissed it.
“I’m sorry. I won’t mess around anymore… in a bit, I’ll give you a good massage.”
Jiang Lai listened to the other’s apology. Actually, she wasn’t angry at all – she was just worried whether Xu Ruobing’s body could hold up.
She felt that she wasn’t some monster that drained vital essence. The whole point of her coming here was to let Xu Ruobing rest well.
Once Xu Ruobing stopped her wandering hands, Jiang Lai obediently stopped resisting, letting herself be held. Her hand gently slid down Xu Ruobing’s back, and when her fingertip brushed against the soft skin at the other’s waist, she could feel the other pulling her even closer.
“Ruobing…”
Jiang Lai’s voice came out muffled from within Xu Ruobing’s embrace, carrying a clingy quality of just waking up.
“Did you not sleep well last night?”
Xu Ruobing’s chin rubbed gently against the crown of Jiang Lai’s head as she answered in a very doting voice.
“I slept great. Holding you, I slept soundly.”
Her words carried a subtly ingratiating tone, her fingertip lightly tracing circles on Jiang Lai’s back, as if coaxing a child.
Jiang Lai couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to gently pinch Xu Ruobing’s waist side.
“You always know how to say sweet things. You were up so late last night, and still woke up this early – how can your body take it? And you were busy filming nonstop the past few days, exhausting yourself like that.”
Jiang Lai’s words carried affectionate reproach, yet her arms instinctively tightened, pulling herself even closer. She genuinely hoped the other could rest better.
Xu Ruobing trembled slightly at the pinch, but didn’t dodge. Instead, she bent down and buried her face in Jiang Lai’s neck hollow, her voice growing even softer.
“As long as you can stay with me one or two more days, then I’ll rest even better.”
The other’s warm breath spread across Jiang Lai’s neck, causing a fine itching sensation to rise on her skin. She couldn’t help but turn her head slightly, but Xu Ruobing only held her waist even tighter.
“But I already bought my ticket for the afternoon…”
Jiang Lai’s fingertip pressed against Xu Ruobing’s shoulder, but she didn’t actually push her away.
According to the original plan, her plane ticket was for noon. In that case, she would have to get up and rush over right now. But in order to spend as much time with Xu Ruobing as possible, and without violating the promise she’d recently made with Chi Yingyu, delaying her return until the evening was already her limit.
“It’s still early. We can lie here a little longer.”
She could feel Xu Ruobing’s body slowly relaxing, even her breathing becoming calmer. Clearly, she was truly tired.
Xu Ruobing didn’t speak, just softly hummed “Mm,” her arms tightening as if trying to knead Jiang Lai into her own flesh and blood.
Jiang Lai looked at the dark circles under the other’s eyes, lifted her head, and gently kissed them.
If only her kiss could heal, how wonderful that would be.
That way, she could let Xu Ruobing be free of all exhaustion.
Xu Ruobing didn’t open her eyes. She just rested her chin gently against the top of Jiang Lai’s head, her voice hoarse as if shrouded in mist.
“I don’t want to sleep. I want to hold you a little longer.”
Her fingertip slowly traced circles on Jiang Lai’s back, the movement so light it was almost invisible.
“Once you leave this afternoon, there won’t be anyone here for me to hold.”
Those words made Jiang Lai’s heart ache sharply. She reached out to circle Xu Ruobing’s waist, pulling her even closer.
“I’ll find more time to be with you in the future. Once you finish filming, we can still be together. And by the time I come back, we’ll be even closer – we’ll definitely have more time and chances to meet.”
She said it seriously, yet her fingertips quietly tightened. She knew how much uncertainty was mixed into those words, but she still wanted to put Xu Ruobing at ease.
Xu Ruobing let out a low laugh, the sound vibrating through Jiang Lai’s chest with a slight numbness.
“Alright, I’ll wait. Remember to wait obediently for me to come back, okay? And whatever happens with Chi Yingyu, tell me in advance… That way, I can feel more at ease and won’t be so anxious.”
“Okay… whatever happens, I’ll tell you in advance.”
Jiang Lai gently stroked the insecure Xu Ruobing in her arms. When she stayed with Jiang Lai, Xu Ruobing really seemed pitiful – even when making a request, she only dared to ask for something like this.