Zhou Zisuo's heartbreak and anger were of no concern to anyone.
Jiang Jiang and Ji Xu'an's lives were not disturbed by her at all.
Although that night by the lakeside the two of them did not do anything further and only held each other for a while in quiet tenderness, the atmosphere was far warmer than before.
Even when their eyes met for just an instant, Ji Xu'an could feel the scorching air flowing between them. Pink bubbles could not help but rise in her heart.
Jiang Jiang should feel the same, right?
Ji Xu'an thought uncertainly.
By the time they got home, it was already nearly ten o'clock. Jiang Jiang had originally wanted to send the contract to Ji Xu'an and ask her to help take a look at it, but seeing the fatigue that Ji Xu'an could not conceal in her eyes, Jiang Jiang swallowed her words back down.
Forget it. So many things had already happened today. Ji Xu'an probably needed time to slowly accept everything as well.
Jiang Jiang did not mention it, yet Ji Xu'an brought it up on her own.
It was after both of them had finished showering and were sitting in the living room resting.
"Baby." Ji Xu'an walked out of the kitchen, holding a plate of washed cherries in her hand. Seeing Jiang Jiang look up at her, Ji Xu'an casually picked one up and fed it to Jiang Jiang's lips.
Jiang Jiang was holding Little Bread in her arms. One hand absentmindedly stroked the kitten's head. The little cat narrowed her eyes comfortably, a purring sound rumbling in her throat.
She was very clingy to Jiang Jiang. Even when she heard Ji Xu'an's approaching footsteps, Little Bread only lazily lifted her eyelids to glance at her before sinking back into Jiang Jiang's touch.
Ji Xu'an did not mind Little Bread's attitude toward her. On the contrary, she found the scene especially warm, and her heart followed with a soft warmth.
Only at moments like this did Ji Xu'an feel that it was possible for her to keep Jiang Jiang by her side.
Jiang Jiang opened her mouth and bit down on the cherry Ji Xu'an fed her. The droplets of water left on it moistened her lips, leaving them glistening. Before Jiang Jiang could react, Ji Xu'an used the pad of her finger to wipe away that trace of moisture.
That movement immediately made Jiang Jiang think of certain other times when Ji Xu'an seemed to do the same. Subconsciously, she covered Little Bread's eyes with her palm.
Little Bread trusted her completely and made no struggle, but Jiang Jiang's reaction made Ji Xu'an unable to hold back a soft laugh.
Jiang Jiang's face flushed instantly. With the cherry still in her mouth, she neither chewed nor spat it out. Even her earlobes turned faintly red, as if burned by fire.
It was all Ji Xu'an's fault!
She was the one who made her think about random things all day long.
Jiang Jiang could not help but glare at Ji Xu'an. Ji Xu'an immediately raised her hands in surrender and apologized aloud, "Sorry, baby. I was wrong."
Jiang Jiang did not respond, but the hand covering the kitten's eyes quietly moved away.
Ji Xu'an curved her lips. She sat down beside Jiang Jiang and smoothly changed the topic. "By the way, Jiang Jiang, have you discussed the contract details with the editor?"
Jiang Jiang put aside her wandering thoughts and straightened her expression. "It's settled. The editor asked me to sign the contract."
She did not explain in detail, but Ji Xu'an already understood her meaning.
She nodded slightly. "Alright. I'll have an attorney take a look first. After confirming there's no problem, you can sign it. Okay?"
Jiang Jiang silently nodded. She had wanted to say thank you, but when her eyes met Ji Xu'an's dark gaze, the words of thanks stuck in her throat and would not come out.
Ji Xu'an probably did not want to hear her say thank you either, Jiang Jiang thought.
Ji Xu'an indeed felt a quiet relief. The more casually Jiang Jiang treated her, the happier she felt.
"Eat the cherry." Ji Xu'an handed another one over.
Jiang Jiang tilted her head, intending to refuse. The earlier awkwardness was still vivid in her mind.
Unfortunately, before she could speak, Ji Xu'an said first, "You just touched the cat. You can't use your hands to take food."
Jiang Jiang subconsciously glanced at the toothpicks on the coffee table. If nothing else, there were forks in the kitchen. It was not as if she had to use her hands.
But seeing how persistent Ji Xu'an seemed, Jiang Jiang did not want to argue over such trivial matters.
Besides, she had not lacked people serving her like this before. It was only because the one serving her was Ji Xu'an that she felt particularly uncomfortable.
When Jiang Jiang obediently parted her lips, a flicker of amusement flashed through Ji Xu'an's eyes. She subtly shifted closer.
The two of them nestled on the sofa, eating and petting the cat. In the end, almost the entire plate of cherries was eaten by Jiang Jiang. Ji Xu'an only had a few.
After eating, Ji Xu'an went to wash the plate. Jiang Jiang looked at her back, and her thoughts somehow drifted far away.
Was this not exactly the ease and happiness she had once longed for?
Staying together with the person she liked, raising a beautiful clingy little cat. After a busy day, the two of them leaning together and chatting. The topics plain and ordinary, yet able to make one feel relaxed.
Perhaps she could try to trust Ji Xu'an a little more?
When Ji Xu'an came out of the kitchen, Jiang Jiang was still in the same position. She looked at Ji Xu'an for a long time with a calm gaze, making Ji Xu'an's heart grow tense without reason.
"What's wrong, baby?" Ji Xu'an took a deep breath, trying to make her tone gentle and steady.
Jiang Jiang came back to herself and shook her head lightly. "Nothing."
She covered it up with a yawn. "I'm a little sleepy."
Ji Xu'an knew she was not telling the truth, but she did not press further. She walked to the sofa and extended her hand to Jiang Jiang. "Then let's go back to the room and sleep."
Jiang Jiang looked at her for a few seconds, then slowly placed her hand into Ji Xu'an's palm. Immediately, Ji Xu'an clasped it tightly.
Little Bread was left in the living room. As soon as the bedroom door closed, the atmosphere abruptly became somewhat suggestive.
Jiang Jiang walked forward with her arms folded. She stopped beside the bed and turned to glance at Ji Xu'an behind her. "Tonight…"
"I'll sleep on the sofa." Ji Xu'an cut in before she could finish.
That was exactly what Jiang Jiang intended. Although she was becoming more and more able to accept Ji Xu'an's closeness, she had once heard a line while watching a television drama—what is too easily obtained will not be cherished.
She did not want to let Ji Xu'an have her way so quickly.
So that night, Ji Xu'an still slept on the sofa as usual. Only before sleeping, she clung to Jiang Jiang for a goodnight kiss, and Jiang Jiang did not refuse.
After they each lay down, Ji Xu'an still had little drowsiness. Afraid of disturbing Jiang Jiang, she did not turn over, maintaining the same position for a long time.
She did not know whether Jiang Jiang had fallen asleep. Perhaps Jiang Jiang was already deep in slumber, but she herself could not sleep.
Scenes from tonight replayed frame by frame in Ji Xu'an's mind. Whenever she thought about how Jiang Jiang had grabbed her collar and kissed the corner of her lips earlier, a smile could not help surfacing in her eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, the phone screen on the coffee table suddenly lit up. Ji Xu'an reached out from under the blanket to retrieve it. A faint crease formed between her brows.
Since she could not sleep anyway, Ji Xu'an simply threw off the blanket and sat up. Barefoot, she walked to the bedside. After watching for a while, she bent down and pressed a light kiss to Jiang Jiang's forehead.
"I love you, Jiang Jiang."
The confession was so soft it was nearly a whisper. Ji Xu'an did not know whether Jiang Jiang had heard it clearly, but it did not matter. In the future, she would say it many more times, until Jiang Jiang believed it.
The premise was that Jiang Jiang was willing to give her that opportunity.
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