Chapter 17: Closer Than Intended

“I’ll wait for you.” The words Xia An spoke softly made the atmosphere in the study even more ambiguous, so ambiguous that it made people’s minds wander.

“Mm.” Ye Jin responded in a low voice, and a faint smile appeared on her usually cold and aloof face.

They looked at each other, and as they continued speaking, there was a kind of indescribable understanding as they acted.

Xia An’s mind hadn’t yet moved past that “baby” of a greeting.

To her, it was unexpected… but also affectionate, and so natural that it was as if they called each other that way every day.

She looked at Ye Jin again. Xia An thought to herself that even though President Ye usually looked meticulous, she was actually a better actress than she was.

The most shocked person in the room was undoubtedly Ye Zhen.

It was hard to believe that those words had come out of Ye Jin’s mouth. She had watched Ye Jin grow up over the years and could be considered the person who understood her best.

Looking at Ye Jin, the smile on Ye Zhen’s face gradually became more intriguing. Could it be that she had finally opened up? Thinking about it, she had definitely opened up. When had Ye Jin ever acted like this before…

Looking at the couple before her, Ye Zhen suddenly felt like she had become the third wheel.

“Baby, go take a shower first…”

“I’ll wait for you.”

These young people were, as expected…

Ye Zhen looked at Xia An’s figure for a long time, scrutinizing her closely until the other woman left, gently closing the study door.

Ye Zhen felt curious about the person who had been able to make her niece open up.

“Auntie, you should get some rest early tonight.”

Ye Zhen was forty-five years old this year, but her mindset was very young. She suddenly laughed and teased Ye Jin, using a quite meaningful tone as she said, “Getting impatient, huh?”

“……” Ye Jin looked utterly helpless.

“Well, your girlfriend is quite pretty.” Ye Zhen nodded, thoughtfully analyzing. However, she had heard from the old lady that the other woman was still a graduate student at medical university,

“She’s just a little young. Jingjing, why did you suddenly decide to get married?”

Ye Zhen knew from her previous conversations with Ye Jin that she was a proponent of not getting married.

Ye Jin answered simply, “I met the right person, and then I wanted to.”

Although it was simple, it was also a reason that was impossible to refute.

“Good, good. That way, the old lady can be at ease, and I won’t have to worry about you anymore.”

Ye Zhen had 100% faith in Ye Jin’s taste. She couldn’t help but sigh, “That little girl must be quite capable, to be able to make you open up. Not simple.”

Ye Jin smiled and didn’t say anything.

“I won’t say anymore today,” Ye Zhen said, standing up from the sofa with a smile, “Hurry and go coax your wife, lest your little girlfriend has a bad impression of your aunt in the future.”

“Mm, you should get some rest early.”

After getting up to see Ye Zhen off, Ye Jin went back to the study and continued to sit in front of her computer, dealing with the endless work.

The minute hand went around and around, and the night grew deeper.

Xia An sat cross-legged on the carpet, playing with Ye Wan. Aunt Zhou came in twice, but it seemed like the little one had no intention of going to bathe and sleep.

After putting the last piece of the puzzle in place,

Xia An saw that it was already late. “Little cutie, it’s time to take a bath and go to sleep. Be good.”

“Mama~”

“Mm?” Xia An still wasn’t very used to Ye Wan calling her that, “What’s wrong?”

“I want to sleep with you tonight.” Ye Wan snuggled against Xia An and looked up. She was being so clingy.

Ye Jin was usually too serious, so she didn’t dare to act spoiled very much. But it was different with Xia An. She indulged her in everything.

Her big, watery eyes were full of hope as she looked at her.

Xia An couldn’t bear to refuse, so she instinctively coaxed Ye Wan, not even bothering to clear it with Ye Jin in advance, “Okay, Wanwan, be good. Go take a bath first.”

“Mm, Mama is going to bathe, too. Tell me a story to listen to later.” Ye Jin was usually too busy with work, so she rarely had time to spend with her child. That’s why Ye Wan only had this small wish.

In the end, Xia An still couldn’t refuse Ye Wan. She couldn’t help but think about how happy the little one was now, but what about later?

In the study, Ye Jin picked up her phone.

There was one unread message: [Xia An: Wanwan won’t let me leave]

Just as Ye Jin had expected, Ye Wan had been mentioning it for so many days.

She figured she would pester Xia An tonight too. Her slender fingers swiped across the screen of her phone, and she typed something into the text box before standing up and walking toward the bedroom.

Not long after, Xia An received a reply.

[Sleep in the same room as last time]

Also, there was a string of digits. Ye Jin had directly told her the password to the front door’s keypad lock.

It was almost eleven o’clock. After taking a shower, Ye Jin dried her hair and then walked toward Ye Wan’s bedroom. Before she went to bed, Ye Jin always had a habit of going to check on Ye Wan.

The children’s room on the second floor was right next to the master bedroom.
Ye Jin lightly pushed open the door.

The light in the room was still on.

Ye Wan was lying on her stomach on the bed, quietly reading a storybook. On the right side of the bed, there was someone else lying there too.

Ye Jin walked a little closer and then realized that Xia An’s long hair was a mess, her face was buried in the pillow, and she was sleeping soundly with her eyes closed.

Xia An had already removed her makeup. It seemed like her pajamas were a little too big. Her frame was too petite.

Her snow-white skin made her jet-black hair stand out even more. Perhaps it was because she was too exhausted, but half of her face was written with fatigue.

Ye Jin’s gaze involuntarily landed on Xia An’s profile.

Her features were delicate and pretty. Just like that night, her lips were tightly pressed together while she slept, and her brow was slightly furrowed.

She was completely unable to relax when she slept.

Ye Wan turned her head to look at Ye Jin, put her index finger to her lips to make a shushing gesture, and said to Ye Jin in a very soft voice, “Mama Xia is sleeping…”

It wasn’t that Xia An was a heavy sleeper, but rather that she was too sleep-deprived.
As soon as she got onto the soft bed and put her head on the pillow at night, her eyes would close involuntarily.

She had said that she was going to tell Ye Wan a story, but as a result, she had fallen asleep before Ye Wan had even gotten halfway through her story.

Ye Wan stretched out her small hand, gently pulled the blanket over, and very sensibly covered Xia An up with it, as if she was afraid of waking Xia An up. Ye Jin’s face softened when she saw that scene.

But that small movement had still woken Xia An up. Actually, she had always been a light sleeper. She would wake up at the slightest sound.

Xia An lazily opened her eyes and propped herself up on the bed with her elbow. She then realized that Ye Jin was standing by the bed.

She wasn’t wearing any elaborate makeup or a powerful outfit; she was just wearing a simple silk bathrobe, and her half-dry hair was even a little messy.

However, she was very beautiful.

She didn’t give off a threatening aura, but just made people feel comfortable, making them want to look at her more.

This was probably her most tender moment.

Maybe it was because she had just woken up, but Xia An’s brain was still a little foggy. She just kept staring at Ye Jin’s face for a long time.

Ye Jin lowered her eyes. Just looking at Miss Xia’s dark circles, she could tell that she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in days. She said softly to the older one and the little one on the bed, “Go to sleep soon.”

“Mama,” Ye Wan grabbed Ye Jin’s hand, not allowing her to leave, “Aren’t you going to sleep with me and Mama Xia? I want to sleep with you.”

Ye Jin glanced at Xia An, who was sitting at the head of the bed, then looked away.

Xia An lowered her head and immediately understood.

She reached out to adjust her negligee, which was showing a little too much skin, and then acted as if nothing had happened.

“Just sleep with Mama Xia.” Ye Jin stroked Ye Wan’s hair.

“No, I want to sleep with you too.” Ye Wan said with a pout, feeling aggrieved, tightly holding onto Ye Jin’s hand and not letting go.

It was rare for her to act this way with Ye Jin. Tonight was an exception, because she finally had two mamas, and she usually saw her classmates with their whole family, which she was so envious of.

“Be good.” Ye Jin said again.
Xia An sat at the side and stroked her arms, not saying a word.

“Are you guys starting to think I’m annoying? Do you hate me?”

“How could we?” Xia An hurriedly rubbed Ye Wan’s head, “Mama loves Wanwan too much to do that.”

“Wanwan knows that when she gets older, she has to sleep alone, and she can’t sleep with Mama anymore.” Ye Wan said with more and more grievance.

She knew that Xia An was easier to talk to, so she looked pitifully at Xia An, “Mama, just for tonight, okay?”

Xia An and Ye Jin simultaneously looked at each other for a moment, their eyes seemingly asking for the other’s meaning.

A minute later…

The three of them were all lying in the bed.

Ye Wan lay in the very center, and gave both of them a goodnight kiss, looking very content.

“Time to sleep.” Ye Jin pulled the blanket up for Ye Wan.

“Mm.” Ye Wan narrowed her eyes, and then nestled up against Xia An to act spoiled, reaching out to hug her.

Xia An was startled, but when she saw Ye Wan’s mischievous and cute expression, she also turned to her side, and directly pulled the little one into her arms.

She kissed Ye Wan on the forehead and said softly, “Mama will hold you as you sleep.”

As she said these words, warmth filled Xia An’s eyes.

Perhaps it was because she couldn’t get that warmth herself, but she understood Ye Wan’s feelings all the more.

Children weren’t ignorant of everything; if there was a warmth that she could give, she would of course be willing to give it.

Unfortunately, it was all based on a lie.

Ye Jin closed her eyes. She could hear Xia An’s soft words next to her ear, which sounded even more tender at night.

Xia An glanced at Ye Jin out of the corner of her eye.

She seemed to be asleep.

Although the two of them were lying in the same bed, they weren’t close because Ye Wan was between them.

As she looked at Ye Jin and then at Ye Wan, Xia An smiled wryly. How had she somehow gotten both a wife and a child overnight?

Gradually, the room became silent, and they couldn’t hear a single sound.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but Ye Jin slightly opened her eyes. She didn’t like having any light when she slept.

Even if there was a soft nightlight, she would reach out and turn it off.

The nightlight on the other side of the bed was still on…
The hazy light reflected against one corner of the room.

Ye Jin turned her head to look at that side.

Xia An was still in the same position, holding Ye Wan. The two of them were nestled close together silently.

It looked like they were fast asleep.

Under the nightlight, the scene was still and beautiful.

Ye Jin looked at it quietly while lying on her side for a long time.

Actually, these were the kinds of scenes that she wasn’t without longing for, but she also felt like they wouldn’t belong to her.

How many people could accept a purely platonic relationship where they never touched their partner’s body at all? Maybe it was okay in the short term, but in the long term, probably no one could endure it.

After a moment, Ye Jin wanted to turn off the light, but she realized that her arm couldn’t reach it. So, she drew her body closer to the other side of the bed.

She caught the faint, familiar fragrance again, and she slightly lowered her head, her gaze landing on Xia An’s delicate face.

It was such an intimate distance.
She could feel the other woman’s even breathing.

Ye Jin’s gaze lingered on Xia An’s eyebrows and eyes. At this distance, she realized that she didn’t just feel that way.

A strand of hair brushed against her cheek, tickling Xia An slightly. She let out a soft hum and slowly opened her eyes…