Chapter 24: Call Once, Kiss Once

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

Jiang Shu didn’t feel cold at first, but after sitting on the bus for a while, a wave of chill crept in, making her whole body icy cold.  

During the ride, Ji Lianxing warmed her hands and even took off her coat to give it to her.  

After they got home, Ji Lianxing immediately rushed to the kitchen to make ginger tea for Jiang Shu.  

"President Jiang, go take a shower now, or you’ll really catch a cold."  

"You seem more anxious than me..."  

"Go wash up! Why’re you just standing there?" Ji Lianxing was genuinely worried. Seeing Jiang Shu still lingering in the living room, she quickly pushed her, forcing her into the bathroom. "Hurry up and wash! If you really get sick, no one’s gonna take care of you."  

"You can take care of me~" Jiang Shu said with a smile.  

Bang.

Ji Lianxing didn’t give her a chance to keep talking and shut the bathroom door right away.  

Luckily, the sound of the shower soon followed. Ji Lianxing turned around and went to the kitchen to make tea.  

Ginger tea helps ward off the cold, especially when drunk right after getting caught in the rain—it can prevent colds. That’s what Ji Lianxing’s mom had told her. When she was little, if she got soaked in the rain, she’d always drink a steaming bowl of ginger tea, and by the next day, she’d be bouncing around, perfectly fine.  

Staring at the bubbling water in the pot, Ji Lianxing dropped in the ginger slices, then stood by the stove, zoning out.  

She was thinking about the confession she just made.

Actually, deep down, there was a slight sense of loss. It was faint, but she couldn’t ignore it.  

Jiang Shu didn’t understand what she meant.  

But thinking about it, Ji Lianxing couldn’t blame her—who would think that much about it?  

Maybe in Jiang Shu’s world, even though they were lovers, they were just lovers who hadn’t known each other for long. So, there was no way she could know about these feelings.  

Gurgle, gurgle—the water had boiled to its limit. Ji Lianxing snapped out of it, poured the tea, stirred the boiled ginger water a few times, tasted it, and then turned off the stove.  

The sound of running water from the bathroom hadn’t stopped.  

Jiang Shu stood under the showerhead, watching the clear streams of water flow over her abs. Wherever the warm water passed, it replaced the lingering chill with heat.  

She was also thinking about something.

It was about Ji Lianxing’s “I like you.”  

Jiang Shu realized she was someone who said one thing but felt another.  

To what extent?  

At first, she thought it didn’t matter. For example, in two months, when they separated, if Ji Lianxing really went to confess, it shouldn’t be a big deal.  

But when she actually heard Ji Lianxing say “like,” she automatically imagined that scenario, and for some reason, her chest felt tight.  

She was teaching her how to confess, yet deep down, she vaguely hoped she wouldn’t.  

As for why—she couldn’t quite explain it.  

Did she really have such strong possessiveness?  

This unfamiliar feeling made Jiang Shu uncomfortable. She felt like she had fallen into a deep, bottomless ocean, unable to control where she drifted. She didn’t like this sense of losing control.  

After thinking for a while, Jiang Shu snapped out of it and turned off the shower.  

She thought, Whatever happens later, she’ll deal with it later.  

Ji Lianxing was waiting for Jiang Shu in the dining room. The moment she came out, the ginger tea had cooled to just the right temperature.  

“President Jiang, drink it while it’s hot.”

"Oh, okay, thanks." Jiang Shu took a sip of the ginger tea, her brows furrowing immediately.  

"What’s wrong? You don’t like it?"  

"No, it’s just that this ginger... is kinda spicy!" Jiang Shu stuck out her tongue slightly but, remembering that Ji Lianxing had made it for her, she steeled herself and took another big gulp.  

"Wait, wait, if you can’t handle it, don’t force yourself." Ji Lianxing took the bowl from her. She had been careless—Jiang Shu couldn’t eat spicy food because when she did—  

Well, it was already happening.  

Her face had turned red, a deep crimson spreading from her cheeks down to her neck, like her skin had been scalded by hot water.  

"I’ll get you some water."  

"It’s fine, I actually think the spiciness feels kinda nice. I’ll drink a few more sips—spiciness helps drive out the cold. You should go shower first."  

"But your face is so red. Are you really okay?"  

"It’s nothing." Jiang Shu lifted her chin. "Go take your shower, now."

Ji Lianxing was skeptical, but seeing that Jiang Shu’s expression didn’t change much, she assumed she was fine and turned toward the bathroom.  

The moment she left, Jiang Shu finally put down the bowl and grabbed the bottled water on the table, gulping down several mouthfuls.  

Spicy. It was really spicy. But she had to stay calm—she didn’t want to lose composure again.  

She had to keep a straight face. If she reacted like she did earlier when eating crayfish tonight, it would be way too embarrassing.  

After drinking the water, Jiang Shu took a few deep breaths, and the burning sensation in her mouth gradually faded.  

Ji Lianxing had put way too much ginger. To make it look like she had finished, Jiang Shu quietly poured the remaining tea down the sink.

Then she turned and went upstairs. It was almost midnight, and she was getting sleepy.  

She dried her hair, lay down on the bed, and closed her eyes, waiting for Ji Lianxing to come up.  

The window in the room was open, and she could hear the rain outside. It was still falling, but much lighter now.  

The air was getting cooler. Jiang Shu could feel it—summer had slipped away, and autumn was just around the corner.  

She should add another blanket. She got up, walked out of the bedroom, opened the cabinet, and took out a small blanket to keep warm at night.  

Downstairs, she heard Ji Lianxing’s footsteps. It sounded like she had finished her shower and gone into the kitchen.  

The sound of water running over the pot came from the sink.

Jiang Shu pictured her in her mind. Right now, she was probably wearing that pink pajama set, her hair tied up in a bun, her fair feet tucked into those slippers. What was she doing? Washing the pot? Most likely.  

She imagined it—maybe she would throw the ginger slices from the cutting board into the trash, wash her hands, and then come upstairs…  

Jiang Shu stood still, quietly listening to the sounds downstairs. The noises reaching her ears were almost exactly as she had imagined.  

She heard Ji Lianxing wash the pot, then wash her hands. After that, footsteps sounded, the soft thuds of slippers against the wooden floor.  

A few seconds later, she saw Ji Lianxing appear.  

“Finished washing?”  

“Mm. Huh? Why aren’t you in the room?”

"Got an extra blanket. Sleeping with just a thin one might be too cold tonight."  

"Oh, oh." Ji Lianxing's gaze drifted past Jiang Shu's shoulder, landing on the glass window behind her. Raindrops clung to the glass, and outside, the rain fell in silence.  

Sleeping on a rainy night, wrapped in the arms of someone she liked—it was something she never dared to hope for before. Now, it had somehow come true, and Ji Lianxing felt a strange sense of unreality.  

"Back to work tomorrow," Jiang Shu said, holding the blanket as they stepped into the bedroom together.  

Ji Lianxing grinned foolishly. "Work is great. Work means money, and money means I can pay off my debts."  

Jiang Shu frowned. "But we don't have freedom when we work."  

"Wow, so even the boss doesn't like working?"

"It’s exhausting. There's so much work to handle every day." Jiang Shu spread the blanket over the bed. "And no matter what I do, no matter how much effort I put in, there are always employees complaining about exploitation. You know how it is in our industry—overtime is inevitable. I don’t force it, and the overtime pay is way above the average."  

"Emmmm…" Ji Lianxing thought for a moment. "It’s impossible to make everyone happy. President Jiang, from what I know, you’re already doing great."  

"Let’s just go with the flow." Jiang Shu took off her slippers and climbed into bed. She felt a bit cold, so she lifted the blanket and slipped under it quickly. Then, she spread her arms wide, motioning for Ji Lianxing to come into her embrace.  

Ji Lianxing looked at her and smiled. It was only the third day, and she was already this skilled?

"President Jiang, I realized you really like hugging me." Ji Lianxing lifted a corner of the blanket and lay down.  

"Is hugging not good?" Jiang Shu pulled her into her arms, pressing them tightly together. "Does it make you uncomfortable?"  

"No."  

It wasn’t uncomfortable, but her heartbeat sped up, and then she felt hot.  

"Then that’s just right." Jiang Shu rested a hand on Ji Lianxing’s waist and gave it a light squeeze, sighing, "Your waist is so slim."  

Ji Lianxing felt an uncontrollable ticklish and sultry sensation spread through her body from the touch.  

"Is it?" Ji Lianxing’s breathing subtly changed. "Yours seems slim too."  

"No, not as slim as yours." Jiang Shu took her hand and placed it on her own waist. "Feel for yourself."

As her palm grasped, the firmness of the waist and abdomen felt so real.  

Ji Lianxing's cheeks instantly flushed, uncontrollably burning up.  

Ah... How could Jiang Shu be like this? And why did her expression have to be so normal?  

"See? Mine isn't as slim as yours."  

Ji Lianxing swallowed, a fire burning in her throat. "It's pretty slim... I think we're about the same."  

"Yours is slimmer, trust me." Jiang Shu was certain.  

Ji Lianxing's mind was already a complete mess. She didn't care whose waist was slimmer; she cared more about when she could take her hand back. If she kept touching like this, she wasn't sure if her face would turn even redder.  

"President Jiang, aren't you sleepy?"  

"A little." Jiang Shu glanced at the time—it was already past midnight. "Let's sleep."  

"Mm-hmm."  

"Good night, little hedgehog."

"Good night, octopus."  

"Again?" Jiang Shu reached out and pinched Ji Lianxing's face.  

"What’s wrong, octopus?" Ji Lianxing actually talked back.  

To Jiang Shu, this was undoubtedly a provocation.  

"You're very brave." Jiang Shu flipped over, pinning Ji Lianxing down. She grabbed her wrists and pressed them above her head, taking absolute control. "Little hedgehog, if you call me octopus again, I won’t be so nice."

Ji Lianxing did not dare to breathe too loudly. She could feel the softness, the closeness—there was something teasing about it.  

She looked at Jiang Shu. Jiang Shu's eyes were too beautiful. Even when she was being fierce, the captivating allure in her gaze never faded.  

"You can call me little hedgehog, so why can't I call you octopus?"  

"Octopus doesn’t suit me. Piranha suits me better." Jiang Shu spoke, then found herself staring at Ji Lianxing’s face, momentarily lost. "You are not allowed to call me that, got it?"  

"I can't hear you." Ji Lianxing pinched Jiang Shu’s wrist, her fingertips lightly scratching. She didn't even know why she did it. It felt a little out of bounds, but she did it anyway.

"You're not being good." Jiang Shu leaned in closer, their noses brushing. "Octopus doesn't sound nice."  

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

Ji Lianxing suddenly remembered that night when Jiang Shu had pinched her chin and tasted her lips.  

That feeling… It seemed a little unfamiliar now.  

"Pres—President Jiang." Ji Lianxing's breath grew heavy. "You're too close."  

Jiang Shu was already pressing in, their eyes locking. Ji Lianxing was drawn into the deep brown of her irises.  

She felt Jiang Shu move even closer. Their soft lips touched. Ji Lianxing gripped Jiang Shu’s wrist tightly. She felt a little dizzy and nervous.  

Jiang Shu’s tongue curled slightly, brushing against Ji Lianxing’s. The fragrance spread instantly…

It's so warm. Their tongues chased each other between lips and teeth, with no pattern, very teasing.  

The soft pillow felt like a whirlpool, pulling Ji Lianxing down.  

Jiang Shu’s hair smelled so good. The tips brushed against her cheek, tickling all the way to her heart.  

Her movements were gentle, not forceful at all, making Ji Lianxing feel even dizzier.  

Just as Ji Lianxing was about to lose all reason and respond, Jiang Shu suddenly ended the kiss.  

Ji Lianxing opened her eyes. The soft orange glow of the room’s light outlined Jiang Shu’s delicate features, making her look really beautiful.  

Ji Lianxing turned her head away, resting a hand over her eyes to block her sight.  

Jiang Shu pressed her lips together, still glossy from the kiss. She pinched Ji Lianxing’s cheek lightly. “Remember this, octopus. Call me that once, and I'll kiss you once.”

Author's Note:

There are actually 200 comments… I was too reckless.  

I will post today’s update first. The extra update will be tomorrow, scheduled for Sunday night at 9 PM. (A double update as promised.)