Luring Her to Take the Bait - Chapter 9

Is Susu shy?!

A little person in Pei Wenjin’s ear was screaming passionately: Ahhh, so cute, so cute! I really want to take a bite of those bright red ears!

How could she get shy just from a proactive hug? This was too pure, such a contrast—how interesting!

Pei Wenjin’s heart stirred. Just as she was about to raise her hand to hug her back, Fu Su let go in the next second. Her expression returned to that of cold, covering snow, while her red ears looked like an abnormal allergic reaction.

She twitched the corner of her mouth in an arc that didn’t quite reach a smile. After two or three seconds, it faded as she sighed, “It feels like a scene that would appear in an idol drama.”

Pei Wenjin blinked. Fu Su raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair, and Pei Wenjin peeked at her ears again—a touch of unpretentious crimson amidst the deep blue twilight.

Perhaps it was because of the “blue hour,” but Pei Wenjin heard a trace of melancholy in her tone. That face remained chilly; even the heavy, ink-like blue of the sky couldn’t mask her snow-white skin.

Pei Wenjin asked, “Do you like watching idol dramas?”

Fu Su was startled for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t.”

Pei Wenjin pressed further: “Why?”

Fu Su pursed her lips, her cheeks moving slightly. She rested her left hand on her right elbow and tapped it. “In the legal profession, one constantly comes into contact with the darker layers of society. Idol dramas represent beauty—fairy tales that don’t exist in reality.”

She glanced at Pei Wenjin, her shoulders slumping. That world-weary feeling returned to her features. Her crow-black eyes shone brightly under the dark blue sky. Her thin lips moved, releasing three simple words that felt heavy enough to sink into the ground.

“It’s very jarring.”

Just like the hug just now. It felt like an idol drama, like a fairy tale—like her and Pei Wenjin.

The wind that had just died down began to blow again, brushing past Pei Wenjin’s beautiful curls and plucking at her stifled heart.

Pei Wenjin took a deep breath and looked up with sparkling eyes: “I want to hug you. Is that okay?”

“I’ve wanted to hug you since the moment I saw you.”

“Just like how they act in idol dramas.”

“Can I hug you from now on?”

A few hurried passersby turned to glance at them, looked twice, and then walked away.

Pei Wenjin was actually a bit unsure about the “boundaries” between her and Susu.

She was afraid her familiar personality would overstep, yet also afraid she wouldn’t do a good job as a “lover,” fearing Susu would be dissatisfied and divorce her.

But at this moment, she suddenly thought about how Fu Su was all alone. She just really wanted to hold her and cherish her.

Fu Su’s gaze fell on her shoulder, just as it had for the past ten years. Her eyelids were very thin, and her thick lashes always seemed to weigh down on her pupils as if she were hiding from the world.

Fu Su pursed her lips and, very softly, gave a slight nod of her slender chin.

Pei Wenjin beamed. Her posture became light; she first extended a finger to poke Fu Su’s shoulder. Seeing that she didn’t dodge, her pale arms became like boneless vines, winding around Fu Su’s neck like a gentle mist. The scent of orange blossoms mixed with the unique, hushed atmosphere of the night brushed against Fu Su’s cheek. It was hard to tell if it was the moisture of her breath or the lingering warmth of the sun.

She hugged her tightly, their hair intertwining.

Pei Wenjin began to chuckle softly. With their temples pressed together, she tilted her head and whispered in Fu Su’s ear: “Susu, you don’t have to feel like it’s ‘like’ one.”

“Because we ourselves are the definition of beauty. Giving each other a hug after work—this kind of idol drama scene is exactly what should happen to us.”

“Don’t we deserve such romantic praise?~”

“Of course we do!”

Her fluffy hair rubbed against the tip of Fu Su’s nose. Fu Su’s eyelashes fluttered, and a low, dark “Mmh” vibrated in her throat. She slowly wrapped her arms around Pei Wenjin’s slender waist, her fingertips barely touching the fabric before she let go.

Pei Wenjin caught the rich scent of agarwood behind her ear. She swallowed, nuzzled the hair with the tip of her nose, and then looked at Fu Su’s ears again under the cold white beam of the streetlights.

Bright red.

Fu Su’s face remained as quiet as the night, as if she were completely unaware that her ears were flushing crimson.

She really gets shy so easily.

Pei Wenjin squinted with a smile. She really wanted to see if, under that cold exterior, the inner core was a frozen tundra or a prairie fire.

The hug she had thought about for ten years was finally in her arms!

Pei Wenjin took Fu Su’s arm and reached down to pick up the neatly stacked gift boxes at Fu Su’s feet. “Susu, let’s go—”

As soon as she lifted them, a series of “clatter-clatter” sounds rang out. Pei Wenjin froze, not daring to move, as if she were holding a ticking time bomb.

“This… what’s going on???”

Fu Su received the innocent gaze and took the boxes from her. “There was a set of white porcelain tea-ware. It must have shattered.”

Her tone was as flat as if she were saying there wasn’t a cloud in the sky tonight.

Pei Wenjin stood there like a wooden chicken. The gift Susu had prepared was broken because she had caught her!

She was the true culprit.

Seeing her dazed expression, Fu Su was about to speak when she was cut off. “Susu, don’t worry! I’ll explain to Mother and the others!”

“It broke because you were catching me!”

“Honestly, are you stupid? You didn’t even realize your legs were numb,” Pei Yanhui mocked coldly.

Pei Wenjin: OoO

She was being insulted by her mother…

Pei Yanhui glanced sideways at Pei Wenjin, sizing her up from top to bottom. She then looked at Fu Su, tilting her chin up with a cold, proud gaze. “Xiao Su, next time there’s no need to catch her. It’s no big deal if she falls.”

“…” Pei Wenjin glared indignantly at Pei Yanhui and grabbed Fu Su’s arm to protest her mother’s “evil” deeds. “Susu! Look at Mother! She’s bullying me and calling me stupid. You have to stand on my side! Don’t agree with her, help me talk back!”

Pei Yanhui snorted, completely indifferent.

Even though Fu Su had handled many major cases and defended clients in court countless times, she felt a bit constrained at this moment.

She had never experienced a normal family atmosphere and, for a moment, didn’t know how to react.

To be honest, she felt a bit lost.

As soon as they entered, she was surrounded by three adults and one child. A fifth person sat on a single sofa in the living room. Four pairs of sparkling eyes landed on her with intense curiosity.

This was so different from the first meeting she had imagined.

Fu Chi let out an “Aye” and tilted her head with a smile. “I’m taller than you, Fu Su.”

Fu Su: Interrupted… what is there to be proud of?

Pei Wenjin subtly sensed Fu Su’s faint disdain and was surprised to discover that she would slightly squint her eyes.

Fu Chi turned her head and leaned on Pei Lingchu’s shoulder to stifle a laugh, her shoulders shaking. Pei Wenjin punched her shoulder, making Fu Chi groan and glare back at her gloomily.

Pei Lingchu pushed Fu Chi slightly, telling her to behave.

Wearing indoor slippers, Pei Lingchu was a bit shorter than Fu Su, with her eyebrows reaching about the level of Fu Su’s eyelashes. The woman wore a soft white cotton-linen dress with a loose waist, making her figure look even more slender. She had a very gentle smile.

“Xiao Su, is your work urgent tomorrow? Why don’t you stay over tonight?”

Fu Su nodded. “Okay. I’m not busy tomorrow morning, Sister Lingchu.”

Pei Lingchu went to take Fu Su’s hand like a close sister. Pei Wenjin’s alarm bells rang instantly. She opened her mouth and blurted out at the top of her lungs, “Sister!”

She startled everyone present. Fu Chi’s eyelid jumped. “Xiao Jin, what are you shouting for? You scared me to death!”

“I…” She wanted to say that Susu didn’t like being touched by others, but as if by telepathy, she met Fu Su’s cold eyes. After a blink, Pei Wenjin understood instantly—Susu didn’t mind.

“I… can’t I just call my sister? Hmph~ Mind your own business!” Pei Wenjin bared her teeth at her like a little dog. She then saw little Shi’an and remembered her daily routine upon returning home. She opened her arms to hug her, but little Shi’an took off running—straight toward Fu Su.

Fu Su felt a tug at her knee. She looked down and suddenly met a pair of watery blue eyes, bright and clear like a turquoise lake. Little Shi’an looked up at her for a few seconds before introducing herself in a milky voice.

“Good evening, Auntie Su. My name is Pei Shi’an. You can call me Shi’an.”

Then she turned her face toward Pei Wenjin and began to tattle to Fu Su with childish indignation.

“Little Auntie tries to hug me without washing her hands or changing her clothes when she gets home. Auntie Su is Little Auntie’s wife, you have to scold her.”

The moment the words fell, a triangular prism seemed to grow in Fu Su’s heart. Sunlight passed through it, refracting against the walls of her heart until a rainbow filled her entire chest.

“Shi’an, what are you saying?!”

Pei Wenjin shouted in a suppressed voice. When everyone’s gaze shifted to her, her cheeks were like a garden of blooming red roses.

Fu Su looked at her, her heart feeling intoxicated. Her ears began to burn, but fortunately, her hair covered them so no one saw.

“Ooh, your face is so red. What, is Fu Su not your wife?” Fu Chi laughed, clearly enjoying the show.

“Fu Chi, shut up!” Pei Wenjin, overcome with shame and anger, swung her fist at Fu Chi. Fu Chi dodged to the side, laughing hysterically. She looked back at Fu Su.

Fu Su was crouching in front of little Shi’an, stroking her head. Her palm brushed from the soft, light chestnut hair down to the ends, and she gently pinched the girl’s soft cheek.

Pei Lingchu smiled, Fu Chi smiled, Pei Wenjin punched Fu Chi, and Pei Yanhui sat peacefully on the sofa watching them, not minding the noise at all.

If Pei Xu hadn’t taken Fu Su’s hand and smilingly slid a jade bracelet onto her wrist, those two would have kept bickering for a while longer.

The slender, pale wrist was encircled by a ring of shimmering light. Spots of “snowflake cotton” inside the jade looked like stars in the night sky—pure, icy, and full of character. The glassy jadeite, both cold and elegant, suited her perfectly.

Pei Xu’s eyes were full of stars; Pei Wenjin’s affectionate eyes were inherited from her. Pei Xu used sign language to tell her: It’s very beautiful. Xiao Su, do you like it?

Just after signing, she suddenly became bashful, her cheeks flushing slightly as she moved to check her phone.

At that moment, a fine breeze stirred at the tip of her nose.

The jade bracelet swayed slightly; the Milky Way began to snow.

Fu Su looked somewhat anxious, tiny beads of sweat appearing on her nose. She spoke and signed at the same time: “It’s beautiful, but it’s too precious. Auntie Xu, I can’t accept this.”

But she saw Pei Xu freeze, her eyes reddening. Fu Su pursed her lips, feeling lost. She looked at Pei Wenjin, only to find Pei Wenjin staring blankly at her.

Not only her—Fu Chi was looking, Pei Lingchu was looking, little Shi’an was looking, and even Pei Yanhui, who usually ignored the commotion, was looking at her.

Fu Su didn’t understand why they were looking at her like that. Pei Xu raised her hand, and Fu Su’s heart tightened; she subconsciously closed her eyes and held her breath.

But the weight that landed on her head was as light as falling snow and as warm as the sun. Fu Su opened her eyes to see Pei Xu smiling tenderly, as if Fu Su were a little snowman she had built herself, personally wrapping her in a warm scarf.

Pei Xu later said: Good child.

Fu Susuddenly understood why Pei Wenjin had such a pure soul.

Even with a cold personality like hers, it was impossible to remain icy in such a warm family.