Chapter 45: Bully
The atmosphere of the celebration banquet remained tense due to Xiao Moyan's harsh words earlier. Xia Lingying felt restless because of what had just happened, constantly guessing about the relationship between Xiao Moyan and Jasmine. For the first time, she found Xiao Moyan's smile so dazzling and unbearable, while Lan Chen leaned back in her chair, sulkily downing drink after drink.
What is Fairy Xiao up to? Is she deliberately making things difficult for her? Publicly exposing her in front of so many people? No, that’s not right. By her nature, she wouldn't do this. She always keeps her personal and professional matters separate. Could it be—
Unconsciously, Lan Chen shifted her gaze to Xia Lingying beside her, carefully observing the two of them. She noticed their fleeting glances, which met briefly but always avoided locking eyes. A mischievous smile formed in Lan Chen's heart. Could it be... that the fairy was jealous? Her mood instantly improved. Lan Chen enthusiastically served dish after dish for Xia Lingying, even going so far as to pour tea and water with great effort. Xia Lingying was surprised by her sudden change, but her gloomy mood prevented her from overthinking it, and she remained silent. The dishes Lan Chen served remained untouched and were set aside once they cooled, but Lan Chen didn’t mind. She was in rare high spirits, even humming a little tune.
Across the table, Xiao Moyan noticed the irritating scene, her beautiful, narrow eyes slightly narrowing as the color of her pupils deepened. She let out a soft hum and turned her head away.
As the banquet reached its midpoint, most of the attendees had drunk enough, including Jasmine. She had taken off her jacket, hanging it on the back of the chair, revealing her fiery figure. She teased Xiao Moyan with flirtatious glances and leaned in close, laughing softly as she whispered intimately to her. Xiao Moyan responded lazily, occasionally sipping from her wine glass.
Last night, because she had to meet reporters, she had driven to the hospital and insisted the doctor remove the cumbersome cast from her right arm. The doctor, seeing her determination, didn’t argue since her arm had mostly recovered. Freed from the cast that had restricted her for so long, her right arm felt light, and she found it hard to adjust. Amid her happiness, the first person that came to Xiao Moyan’s mind, naturally, was Xia Lingying, who could help her fully utilize this newfound freedom.
Although Xiao Moyan had indeed been furious when Xia Lingying first uttered those hurtful words, upon reflection, she couldn’t help but sigh. It was because of love, because of doubt, because of suspicion. Xiao Moyan understood this all too well. Xia Lingying’s emotional world was as simple as a blank sheet of paper, and she was the one who had filled it stroke by stroke. For her to say something like that, it must have been due to insecurity. However, even though she understood, Xiao Moyan still gave her the cold shoulder. A woman couldn’t be spoiled too much. When she had first arrived, Xia Lingying hadn’t even dared to speak loudly, but now she was nearly riding on top of her. If Xiao Moyan didn’t teach her a lesson, who knew what she might do in the future?
While dealing with Jasmine, Xiao Moyan secretly observed Xia Lingying. Aside from the pesky Lan Chen hovering around her like a blue fly, everything else was fine. Xiao Moyan, used to seeing Xia Lingying in her usual pure style, found her occasional foray into something more sensual quite refreshing. Her gaze slowly swept over Xia Lingying's body, not missing a single detail. She truly was Xiao Moyan’s woman—no longer the naive newcomer she had been when she first debuted. Now, every move she made exuded elegance and class.
However—Xiao Moyan’s gaze settled on Xia Lingying’s moderately sized chest. She took a sip of red wine, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.
There was still room for development...
On the side, Jasmine noticed the smile lingering at the corners of Xiao Moyan's lips and mistakenly thought her seduction had worked, causing her to double down. Pretending to be drunk, she tentatively leaned her head against Xiao Moyan’s right shoulder, nervously watching her expression. However, Xiao Moyan showed no reaction, continuing to sip her red wine. Jasmine let out a long sigh of relief, finally relaxing. She playfully blew hot air into Xiao Moyan’s ear.
“Xiao, where are you going tonight?”
Xiao Moyan smiled faintly, setting down her wine glass and casting a fleeting glance at Xia Lingying. The moment she saw her pale cheeks, a pang of guilt struck her heart. Then, noticing Director Lin and Jiang Feng staring intently in her direction, Xiao Moyan shook her head. Feigning amusement, she wrapped an arm around Jasmine’s waist, pulled her into her embrace, and, lowering her head to her ear, whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear,
"You just slept in Director Lin's bed last night, and now you’re coming to seduce me? Miss, your appetite is quite big."
“...”
Upon hearing those cutting words, Jasmine jolted out of Xiao Moyan’s arms as if she had been shocked by electricity, looking at her in fear. Yet Xiao Moyan acted as if nothing had happened, her face still carrying a charming smile. She even picked up a piece of pepper with her chopsticks and placed it on Jasmine's plate.
“Eat more. Look at how thin you are—how can you handle being torn between both sides like this?”
Jasmine’s face flushed as she forced herself to swallow the pepper. Whether it was from the spiciness or the fear, beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Director Lin, seemingly understanding what was going on, looked uneasy and quickly picked up his glass to make a toast to cover his awkwardness.
Lan Chen, who had been drinking in silence, glanced at Xia Lingying's saddened expression and muttered angrily,
“We're all running back and forth, but why is Xiao Moyan only serving Jasmine? Xiaxia, you've finally seen Xiao Moyan’s true colors this time, haven’t you? Don’t fall any deeper!”
Xia Lingying shook her head and refused to look at Xiao Moyan again, staring blankly at her wine glass without saying a word.
After dinner, someone suggested going to a KTV for more fun. Director Lin smiled helplessly and shifted his gaze to Xiao Moyan. Xiao Moyan seemed to be in a good mood, and without much hesitation, she nodded in agreement, only reminding everyone,
“Be mindful of the paparazzi, don’t make too big of a scene.”
Lan Chen scoffed at this,
“If you're that worried, why not come along?”
Her confrontational words caused the atmosphere to freeze once again. Everyone paused and nervously turned their attention to Xiao Moyan. Xiao Moyan's beautiful eyes narrowed as she stared at Lan Chen without blinking, lowering the surrounding pressure instantly. Feeling guilty under her gaze, Lan Chen dropped her head. After a while, a soft voice drifted into Lan Chen's ears,
“Alright.”
“...”
Lan Chen, now regretting her own words, sulked in the car, feeling as though she had shot herself in the foot. She watched Xiao Moyan in the front seat chatting happily with Director Lin, then glanced at the cold and frosty Xia Lingying next to her, unsure how to vent her frustrations.
Through the front seats, Xia Lingying silently gazed at Xiao Moyan, a sense of bitterness welling up in her heart.
Xiao, which one is the real you? In front of others, Xiao Moyan is strong and capable, always wearing a queen-like smile, indifferent to anyone's opinions, and doing things her own way. But in private, with me... you're caring yet willful... Every word Xia Lingying said would be taken seriously if not spoken carefully, and they would definitely debate over it. Which one— which one is the real you? Or perhaps, have I never truly understood you?
When they arrived at the venue, the flashing red neon lights stimulated everyone’s senses even more. The group swarmed into the private room in a rush. To avoid being photographed by paparazzi, everyone tacitly agreed not to turn on the lights. In the darkness, the tightly wound nerves completely relaxed at this moment. Some sang affectionately, some howled, and some danced wildly. Under the faint light from the screen, the real celebration had officially begun.
Unable to resist the crowd’s coaxing, Xiao Moyan smiled and picked up the microphone, singing a song titled “Drifting”. Her slightly hoarse voice flowed softly through the night like a playful spirit, touching the hearts of everyone present. The once lively room fell silent in an instant. Though they couldn't see Xiao Moyan’s expression clearly, just the purity of her voice was enough to captivate the crowd:
When the wind stops, the clouds know
When love fades, the heart naturally understands
When she comes, there’s no escaping it
When she leaves, it’s quiet and soundless
You weren’t in my plans
Disrupting the steady pace of my life
Afraid of loving, afraid of the pain it brings
Afraid of not loving, afraid of sleepless nights...
….
Xia Lingying quietly huddled in the corner, listening in silence. For some inexplicable reason, her face was suddenly drenched in tears. From Xiao Moyan's singing, she could hear a sense of loneliness and sorrow. She quietly experienced her pain and regretted her own willfulness.
When the song ended, everyone remained immersed in the sad atmosphere, unable to react. After a while, someone took the lead, and enthusiastic applause filled the room. Xiao Moyan smiled faintly, then turned and walked toward the sofa, lazily leaning against it. However, the smile on her face had disappeared, replaced by a faint sadness.
Sometimes, being with someone can be lonelier than being alone...
In the darkness, Xia Lingying slowly stood up and turned on her phone. She used the faint blue light from the screen to search for Xiao Moyan, moving cautiously. The people around her had already immersed themselves in their own worlds, unaware of her small actions. Just as she was about to give up after searching several times, she caught a familiar minty scent. Xia Lingying's eyes reddened, and she whispered softly,
"Xiao...Mm"
Her body was suddenly spun around, and in the confusion, Xia Lingying was heavily pressed down, sinking into the soft sofa. The warm, fragrant breath soon blew against her ear. Xia Lingying quickly looked up and saw a pair of bright eyes smiling warmly at her.
In an instant, Xia Lingying's breathing grew rapid. Her body was no longer cold but felt burning hot, and through the thin fabric, she could even feel Xiao Moyan's equally intense body heat. Xia Lingying's face flushed as she nervously looked at Xiao Moyan pressing down on her. Xiao Moyan restrained her hands behind her back, and Xia Lingying swallowed hard and turned her head away.
Seeing Xia Lingying’s bashful, submissive appearance, Xiao Moyan chuckled lightly. She reached out with her right hand, firmly pinching Xia Lingying’s chin and turning it towards her. With a seductive glance, she playfully looked at Xia Lingying.
Xia Lingying was extremely embarrassed, her face already completely red. Because of the darkness, she couldn't see Xiao Moyan's expression clearly, but she could still catch the amusement sparkling in her eyes like pearls. Xia Lingying bit her lip, took a deep breath, and gathered her courage to meet Xiao Moyan's gaze.
"You seem to be having a great time with Lan Chen."
Not saying anything would have been better. As soon as she spoke, Xia Lingying felt a surge of anger and quickly retorted,
"Aren’t you the same with Jasmine?"
Xiao Moyan was momentarily stunned by Xia Lingying's words. Her smile grew even more teasing as she lowered her head and gently licked the tense skin beneath her. Feeling the intense tremors from Xia Lingying, Xiao Moyan answered slowly, "Yes, I like her very much—"
"You like her..."
Xia Lingying's body went ice-cold instantly. She stared blankly at Xiao Moyan, murmuring repeatedly, her heart aching with pain. Seeing her like this, Xiao Moyan lost her mood for jokes. She extended her tongue and gently licked away the bitter tears.
"Why are you crying again? I like her, but I never thought of treating her the way I treat you."
"Treat me? How do you treat me?"
Xia Lingying, with a strong sob in her voice, asked, unable to focus on anything but Xiao Moyan’s previous words. Her question immediately brought a mischievous smile to Xiao Moyan's face. She buried her head in Xia Lingying’s neck, took a deep breath of her scent, and whispered, "How do you want me to treat you?"
Author's Note:
Ahem... Everyone, tell Yezi quietly—do you prefer something sweet... or something more cruel like last time?