Chapter 31 part 2: Exploration

Jiang Xihan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What?”

Ji Pei backtracked. “Nothing… you misheard.”

Jiang Xihan turned, leaning against the tub, gaze piercing.

“You bathed with Ye Wenzhu?”

Ji Pei swallowed, her explanation faltering. “Two girls bathing together isn’t a big deal…”

Jiang Xihan pinched her brow, seeing Ji Pei’s nervousness, realizing she’d overreacted.

“Did you and Xie Zhen ever bathe together?”

Ji Pei met Jiang Xihan’s sharp eyes, swallowing uncomfortably, lowering her head.

Seeing her guilt, Jiang Xihan’s tense nerves snapped.

“Did she invite you, or…”

Ji Pei took a deep breath, biting her knuckles, nodding slowly.

“She said she couldn’t reach her back and asked me to help…”

Xie Zhen was kind, meticulous—fetching food, saving seats, bringing hot water, caring for her all day when sick.

Ji Pei couldn’t refuse her requests, so she agreed.

But Xie Zhen always got her clothes wet, inviting her to bathe together.

Ji Pei, soft-hearted, agreed, though her sensitive skin made her avoid being touched.

Jiang Xihan touched Ji Pei’s nose, struggling to breathe.

She knew she shouldn’t be angry—Ji Pei was the victim—but blurted, “Did she touch you?”

Ji Pei shook her head. “No! I’m not that stupid…”

Noticing Jiang Xihan’s heaving chest, she knew she was upset, kissing her lips, licking gently.

“Jiang Xihan, nothing happened with her.”

Ji Pei kissed repeatedly, nuzzling her nose affectionately.

“I felt something was off and distanced myself.”

Jiang Xihan’s hands trembled. She took a deep breath to calm down, rattled by Ji Pei’s nuzzling.

Ji Pei was only seventeen or eighteen in college.

So young, immature, what could she understand?

Xie Zhen was cunning, articulate, and adept at handling things.

But Jiang Xihan never liked her. Her cleverness was misplaced.

Overly clever, it backfired.

Jiang Xihan felt lingering fear and relief.

If Xie Zhen hadn’t slipped up, caught by Ji Pei, the one with Ji Pei now might be her “obedient” niece.

Ji Pei was soft-hearted, sheltered, kind, and sentimental.

Good traits.

But such a personality, if exploited, could trap her in a crisis of self-doubt.

People are good or evil.

Jiang Xihan didn’t believe in inherent goodness.

Ji Pei nuzzled her. “I’ll listen to you from now on. Don’t be mad, okay?”

“Sorry…”

Jiang Xihan touched her cheek, unsure why she was angry.

Having a weakness meant more to consider.

“Why apologize?”

Ji Pei licked her lips. “Let’s not mention Xie Zhen anymore. It’s a mood-killer.”

Jiang Xihan hugged her. “Fine, no more mentions, no more meetings.”

The next morning, Ji Pei woke, reaching for the side.

Where was she?

Where was Jiang Xihan?

Snapping awake, she opened her eyes, finding the bed empty, cold to the touch.

When did Jiang Xihan leave? So quietly, she didn’t notice.

Ji Pei sat up, reaching for her phone, but found a note on the pillow.

In Jiang Xihan’s elegant handwriting: “Sudden group issue, back to S City. Return by 6 p.m. Xihan.”

Ji Pei stared at the note, wanting to text Jiang Xihan but setting her phone down.

Jiang Xihan said it was a group emergency, leaving silently—it must be serious. Best not to disturb her.

With Jiang Xihan gone, the villa felt empty.

Ji Pei lay back, scrolling her phone aimlessly, opening Jiang Xihan’s Moments, liking every post.

Jiang Xihan rarely posted—two or three times a year, landscapes or selfies.

Ji Pei saved all her selfies, setting one of her in glasses and a black-and-white suit, speaking on a stage, as her wallpaper.

Staring at that Jiang Xihan, she kissed the screen, then felt like a creep.

Whatever, creep or not, Jiang Xihan liked her—she could be bold.

***

At lunch, Ji Pei called Ye Wenzhu, meeting at their usual hotpot place, ordering a tableful of dishes, drinking face-to-face.

The red oil bubbled. Ye Wenzhu dipped tripe in sauce, about to eat, when she saw Ji Pei on her phone.

“Eating out and still on your phone?”

Ji Pei sent a photo to Jiang Xihan. “Showing her what I’m eating.”

Ye Wenzhu ate tripe, grumbling, “I don’t get you lovebirds. Gotta send photos for every meal?”

Ji Pei closed her phone, shaking her head. “You’ve never been in love. You wouldn’t get it.”

Ye Wenzhu: “…”

Ouch, hitting her sore spot.

“By the way, what did Xie Zhen say yesterday? She glared at me. If you weren’t there, I’d be in a crime scene.”

“What do you mean?”

“She hates me so much, probably dismembered me in her head a million times.”

Ji Pei ate beef, propping her chin, sighing.

“If we hadn’t caught her spying, what would’ve happened?”

Ye Wenzhu set her chopsticks down, thinking. “With your personality, she’d have charmed you dizzy, and you wouldn’t know how you lost your first night.”

Rough but true. Ji Pei rubbed goosebumps, shaking her head.

“Let’s not talk about it. She gives me chills.”

Ye Wenzhu laughed. “I’m curious—why’s Xie Zhen so scared of Jiang Xihan? I watched her yesterday; she was terrified.”

“Jiang Xihan’s her aunt.”

Ye Wenzhu’s eyes widened.

“What? They’re relatives?”

Thinking back, Xie Zhen was lavish in college, from S City, clearly wealthy.

But Ye Wenzhu never imagined she was Jiang Xihan’s niece.

What a tangled mess.

The niece and aunt liked the same person.

Ye Wenzhu lost interest in hotpot, her mind on the trio.

Xie Zhen’s creepiness was obvious to her and Ji Pei.

Stealing Ji Pei’s worn underwear, hiding it under her pillow—what kind of person does that?

Ye Wenzhu shivered. If Ji Pei weren’t diligent with laundry, Xie Zhen might’ve taken more.

A melodramatic saga played in her mind. She was glad Ji Pei was with Jiang Xihan, who could handle Xie Zhen.

But would Xie Zhen really back off because of Jiang Xihan?

“You’re with Jiang Xihan, but don’t let your guard down.”

Ye Wenzhu tapped her temple, serious. “Xie Zhen’s got issues—she’s unhinged. Don’t walk alone at night or go out alone. Got it?”

Ji Pei nodded, taking it in.

“Got it. You stay safe too.”

That incident was discovered by Ye Wenzhu by chance.

When confronted with her stolen clothes, Ji Pei saw Xie Zhen staring at Ye Wenzhu, her gaze chilling.

***

With Jiang Xihan gone, Ji Pei resumed her solo life.

After lunch, Ye Wenzhu returned to her flower shop. Ji Pei tagged along, with nothing to do, and offered to help.

“You said it—half a day’s work, I cover dinner, no pay.”

Ji Pei donned a new uniform, thick gloves, and held sharp shears.

Ye Wenzhu, playing boss, pointed at a bundle of roses. “Your job: trim all the leaves. No problem, right?”

Ji Pei saluted. “No problem, boss.”

Ye Wenzhu initially wanted Ji Pei as a cashier—her beauty was perfect for it.

In uniform, she looked like she wore haute couture.

But if Jiang Xihan found out Ji Pei was put on display, she might shoot daggers with her eyes.

So, Ye Wenzhu gave her an easy task.

Ji Pei enjoyed trimming flowers, her OCD demanding neat leaves and petals, no yellow ones allowed.

From two to past four, she trimmed, then Ye Wenzhu called her to eat a strawberry cream cake.

Before eating, Ji Pei snapped photos with the cake, edited them, and sent them to Jiang Xihan.

Ye Wenzhu, munching cake, wanted to throttle her.

Were they conjoined twins? Even eating cake was mushy.

Handling group documents, Jiang Xihan raised her glass at a banquet, her phone buzzing.

After a toast, she excused herself to the balcony.

Xie Zhen, in a corner, saw her leave with her phone and followed.

Jiang Xihan breathed fresh air, checking her phone—Ji Pei’s messages.

Pei: [Check out my uniform]

Pei: [[Photo][Photo]]

Pei: [Bet you didn’t expect me to rock a uniform]

Ji Pei wore a red-and-blue striped shirt, a forest-green bow tie, tucked into pants, legs long and straight.

A natural clothes hanger, she made anything look perfect.

Jiang Xihan’s breath caught, saving and favoriting the photos.

She’d returned to S City at seven, handled group shares until two, then got dragged to a family banquet, unlikely to return by six.

On the balcony, she smiled, typing a reply.

As she sent it, she turned, finding Xie Zhen behind her, unsure how long she’d been there.

Xie Zhen smiled innocently as Jiang Xihan looked at her.

“Auntie, Uncle and the others said you’ve been out too long. They want you back to chat.”

Jiang Xihan didn’t buy it. “Did they send you, or do you want a private chat?”

Xie Zhen met her eyes calmly, but her curled fingers betrayed her.

Jiang Xihan’s lips curved as her phone lit up again, and she typed a reply.

Xie Zhen mustered courage. “Auntie, you can’t be with Ji Pei.”

Jiang Xihan glanced up, chuckling silently.

“You carry the Jiang family. Forgot what Grandpa and Grandma said before they passed? They wanted you married with kids. I heard you agree.”

“If the elders knew you loved a woman, would they trust you with the Jiang family?”

“I hold eighty percent of the shares. No matter how they scramble, they won’t get a piece.”

Jiang Xihan’s calm voice carried on the night breeze. Xie Zhen’s pupils flickered at the number.

Playing with her red bean bracelet, Jiang Xihan raised a brow. “If I said I’d give the shares to Ji Pei, who’d dare object?”

Xie Zhen’s neck stiffened, muscles twitching as Jiang Xihan passed her.

“Little Zhen, you’re clever.”

Jiang Xihan’s lips rose, patting her shoulder.

“But you’re young. Being too clever isn’t always good.”

Xie Zhen bit her lip, back to Jiang Xihan, eyes red with defiance. “Auntie, don’t regret this.”

Jiang Xihan sighed, smiling. “You’re as clever as your mother, but see her fate—limbs gone, a vegetable. The Jiang family had no choice but to fall to me.”

“Even if she wakes, she’ll never rise again.”

***

Past six, Ji Pei sat at the flower shop’s entrance, waiting for Jiang Xihan.

She checked her watch every few minutes, her expression shifting from joy to disappointment.

Jiang Xihan said she’d come by six. Did she forget?

Ye Wenzhu, holding a sausage, stood behind her, offering it.

“Checking your watch nonstop—won’t your neck cramp?”

Ji Pei took the sausage, about to eat, when a black Rolls-Royce approached.

It was Jiang Xihan’s car, the same one from yesterday, plate number clear in her mind.

The back door opened. Jiang Xihan stepped out, and Ji Pei rushed to her.

Ye Wenzhu watched Ji Pei feed Jiang Xihan the sausage she’d picked, her expression collapsing.

The car door shut, leaving Ye Wenzhu with the car’s rear.

Ye Wenzhu: “…”

Damn it, not even a goodbye. She was truly out of favor.

***

Jiang Xihan’s driver navigated to Maple Garden Villa with ease.

In the ten-minute drive, Ji Pei practically wanted to devour Jiang Xihan.

“You’re so tempting in that uniform.”

Jiang Xihan’s hand was on Ji Pei’s waistband, about to undo it, when the car stopped—they were home.

She hadn’t stayed for the banquet dinner, citing business in B City, flying back, and rushing to Ye Wenzhu’s shop.

Ji Pei, curled up, sat waiting at the entrance.

***

Same scene, same sofa.

Ji Pei knelt between Jiang Xihan’s legs, swallowing, hands trembling.

“Jiang Xihan, can I really do it this time?”

“What if I get excited and hurt you with my teeth?”

“No, I’ll use my hands…”

Ji Pei glanced at her fingers, noticing slightly long nails that could hurt Jiang Xihan.

Jiang Xihan, impatient, saw her hesitation and smiled. “Trim tomorrow. Today, I’ll teach you with your mouth.”

Ji Pei’s eyes widened in shock.

“Jiang Xihan, you know how? You’re not some seasoned pro, are you?”

Jiang Xihan laughed. “If I were, would my first time with you have been *that* disastrous?”

Recalling that day, she shuddered, but such things were a mutual exploration, not to be rushed.

Jiang Xihan’s long arm pressed Ji Pei’s head, eyes full of anticipation.

“I’ll say stop if needed, but… it’s up to you.”

Ji Pei mumbled, “I can’t help it… how do you stop in the heat of it?”

Jiang Xihan rubbed her ankle against Ji Pei’s waist, pulling her closer.

“Do it how you like.”

Ji Pei eagerly leaned in, hearing Jiang Xihan’s encouraging whispers.

“Last time was pretty good. Don’t be nervous.”

“No teeth this time, got it?”