After Breaking Off the Engagement, The Young Lady Deeply Regretted It - Chapter 2

Jing Xiao effortlessly caught her ankle. Fan Qingyu had used quite a bit of force, and now her foot was pressing firmly against Jing Xiao’s collarbone. Jing Xiao let out a muffled grunt, her eyes lowering slightly.

From the side, Fan Qingyu’s foot looked exquisite — smooth, graceful lines, her toes curling slightly, each one soft pink and even, with a light coat of pastel nail polish.

Jing Xiao chuckled softly, bent down, and planted a quick kiss on her foot. Then, in a strange yet intimate gesture, she leaned down and pressed her body against Fan Qingyu’s. Since she had learned dance when she was younger, Fan Qingyu’s flexibility was excellent, so aside from her embarrassment, she felt no discomfort.

Jing Xiao teased, lifting her chin with a finger:
“Miss, are you trying to crush me to death?”

The two were so close that all they could smell was each other’s familiar scent. Fan Qingyu felt something about Jing Xiao today was different. Swallowing nervously, she gave a hesitant push against her shoulder.
“Let me lie down first, okay? This kind of hurts.”

Jing Xiao took her slender wrist, rubbing her fingers gently against the prominent bone, and let her gaze linger on the finger joint Fan Qingyu had just bitten. The skin glistened faintly with moisture, ringed by neat little teeth marks. She blew lightly on it with a hint of pity.
“Does your hand hurt?”

Fan Qingyu’s face was flushed, her lips pressed tightly together as if that could shield her from Jing Xiao’s burning gaze.

Jing Xiao blew once more, then took her finger into her mouth.
“Answer me.”

Fan Qingyu trembled, her body shivering uncontrollably, until she was overwhelmed by a wave of unexpected pleasure.

A warm trickle dampened her thigh. Jing Xiao cursed under her breath and sealed her lips against hers once more.

The two stayed up all night, only falling into a drowsy sleep as dawn broke.

When noon sunlight streamed through the window, Jing Xiao opened her eyes. Her arm was completely numb from being used as Fan Qingyu’s pillow. She carefully lifted the back of her head, propped herself against the nightstand, and sat up.

Stepping onto the plush wool carpet, she stretched her arms widely, moving slowly toward the window.

From above, countless high-rise buildings stretched across the view, and in the garden below, the Fan family maids were tending to flowers and plants. After a brief glance, she pulled back and quietly opened the wardrobe.

Inside were only a few pieces of casual loungewear — mostly pajamas and shirts. Jing Xiao wasn’t surprised; she knew wealthy families usually had separate walk-in closets. Shrugging, she pulled open the bottom drawer to change her underwear.

Last night’s “battle” had been far too intense; both had sweated a lot. Just as she finished buttoning up, her peripheral vision caught a figure in the room. Startled, she stiffened, then turned her head mechanically — only to find her own reflection in the dressing mirror.

Jing Xiao gave a self-deprecating laugh, brushing messy hair from her face.
“Going mad, aren’t you?”

After washing up, she returned to the wardrobe.

Clearly, none of the clothes fit her taste. She rummaged around and eventually picked out a burgundy shirt. The shirt hugged her slender frame, sparking endless imagination. After fiddling for a while, she buttoned the collar closed.

It was nearly noon. She switched off the air conditioning, and her phone buzzed twice on the table.

The wallpaper was a picture of Fan Qingyu in a white evening gown, her hair tied high in a round bun, holding a little cake with a radiant smile. Jing Xiao’s heart skipped half a beat before she opened the messages.

[Butler Hu: Miss Jing, will you and the young lady be coming down for lunch? The meal is already prepared.]

Jing Xiao’s lips twitched. Clearly, staying up all night and sleeping in late was not unusual for the two of them. Scrolling up, she saw all her past chats with the butler revolved around Fan Qingyu.

[Jing Xiao: Mm, we’ll be down in a bit.]

On the bed, Fan Qingyu stirred, stretching lazily with a soft yawn. Her voice was sweet yet hoarse:
“What time is it?”

“It’s time to go eat.” Jing Xiao set down her phone, fastened her loose belt, and slipped it into her trouser pocket.

“I’m thirsty.” Fan Qingyu shuffled to the bathroom in oversized slippers. Seeing the unused toothbrush, she frowned and pouted:
“Why didn’t you squeeze the toothpaste for me today?”

Busy preparing a cup of warm water, Jing Xiao didn’t hear the complaint.
“What did you say?”

Fan Qingyu shook her head, squeezing the paste herself. In the mirror, she looked a little worn, faint red marks scattered across her chest from the night before. Thinking of Jing Xiao, her cheeks flushed once more.

After drinking the water, she checked her schedule. She had promised Jing Xiao a whole day together, but tonight was her grandfather’s birthday celebration — an event she couldn’t miss.

She wore a long-sleeved pajama top, conveniently covering the intimate traces. Yawning, she urged Jing Xiao to head downstairs.

Fan Qingyu’s room was on the top floor, and the Fan estate was far grander than Jing Xiao had imagined. While waiting for the elevator, Jing Xiao glanced at her contacts. Aside from chats with Butler Hu about Fan Qingyu’s preferences, there was one other frequent contact: Ouyang Fei.

Most of their chats were Ouyang Fei inviting her out, which she always declined. Ouyang teased her for being completely bewitched by Fan Qingyu.

Jing Xiao planned to meet Ouyang soon, to discreetly probe for information about the “original” her. Even though she usually feared nothing, arriving in a completely foreign world left her a bit unsettled.

The elevator soon opened onto the second floor. At the dining table sat only Madam Fan. She waved warmly at her daughter, urging,
“Try the sashimi — just flown in today. I thought you’d like it.”

Fan Qingyu took a small bite and gave a thumbs up. Jing Xiao sat quietly, eating in silence. Madam Fan wasn’t nearly as warm to her, but still gentle.
“Xiao Xiao, will you be going with Yu tonight, or staying home?”

Strictly speaking, since they weren’t married, Jing Xiao had no place at Old Master Fan’s birthday banquet.

Not knowing what Madam Fan meant by “going together,” she looked to Fan Qingyu for help.

Fan Qingyu looped her arm around her mother’s, smiling sweetly.
“She’s coming with me. I want her to keep me company.”

Madam Fan nodded, tapping her daughter’s forehead.
“And this afternoon, what are you two up to?”

“We’ve booked a private artificial beach. Jing Xiao and I will go play there.”

“Over in Donghai?”

“Yes. I’ve been wanting to go.”

She had originally planned a vacation to an island, but with the company’s upcoming overseas listing, she couldn’t spare the time.

Madam Fan’s gaze shifted to Jing Xiao. She responded respectfully,
“Don’t worry, Auntie. I won’t let it interfere with tonight.”

After lunch, the two went to the walk-in closet, where stylists were already waiting. They stood up immediately. The lead stylist asked:
“What would you like today, miss?”

Glancing over the rows of custom gowns, Fan Qingyu waved casually.
“Later. For now, I’m going to the beach. Get me sunscreen and after-sun care.”

At once, the stylists packed two swimsuits and skincare products into a large designer bag. Seeing the logo, Fan Qingyu frowned.
“Didn’t I use this brand last year?”

One stylist quickly explained,
“This is this year’s new model, but the design does resemble last year’s.”

Fan Qingyu didn’t push further, only said lightly:
“I don’t want to see their products again.”

Standing behind her, Jing Xiao glimpsed the marks on the back of her neck, and memories of last night resurfaced. A faint smile tugged her lips.

Back in the bedroom, everything had already been cleaned and tidied. Fan Qingyu lounged on the leather sofa, stretching out one leg.
“A little sore. Give me a massage.”

Jing Xiao pointed at herself, surprised.
“Me?”

“Do you see a third person here?”

While Jing Xiao hesitated, Fan Qingyu grabbed some snacks from the cabinet, turned on the large TV opposite, and picked a newly released movie.

The film starred a rising actress who had recently exploded in popularity — coincidentally the spokesperson for one of Fan Group’s products. Fan Qingyu chuckled with pride.
“I knew she had potential. Signing her back then was definitely the right call.”

Awkwardly lifting her leg, Jing Xiao clearly had no talent for massage. She squeezed out some oil and gently rubbed her calf.

Feeling the uneven strokes, Fan Qingyu munched on shrimp chips, curious.
“Is this some new technique?”

Jing Xiao replied bluntly,
“No technique.”

“…Fine.” Fan Qingyu pulled her to sit closer, handing her tissues.
“Watch with me, then.”

Wiping her hands, Jing Xiao looked at the screen. The film was a post-apocalyptic story where the heroine fought zombies with her bare hands for supplies.

She wasn’t very interested. Instead, the faint fragrance clinging to Fan Qingyu’s body distracted her, itching at her nerves.

Leaning closer to trace the scent, her warm breath brushed against Fan Qingyu’s back. Startled, Fan Qingyu jerked her head around — her nose bumping straight into Jing Xiao’s cheekbone.

Pain shot through her, scrunching up her face as tears welled uncontrollably. She sneezed three times in a row, then demanded irritably:
“Why are you so close?”

Meeting her watery eyes, Jing Xiao answered seriously:
“You smell so good.”

“You’re acting weird.” Fan Qingyu frowned.

She had been looking forward to this visit for days; shouldn’t Jing Xiao be happier? Instead, she seemed distant. Besides, she’d been using this same hair oil and matching perfume for years — Jing Xiao had smelled them countless times. Why suddenly mention it? Before she could think further, the movie’s heroine screamed loudly.

Zombies had invaded her safehouse. Fan Qingyu quickly forgot her doubts and focused on the film. She must just be overthinking things from exhaustion.

Jing Xiao didn’t pursue it either. The lead actress’s performance was gripping, and soon both were absorbed in the climax.

Suddenly, the camera cut to a zombie’s gory, mutilated face. Fan Qingyu shrieked, covering her eyes, and threw herself into Jing Xiao’s arms.

Jing Xiao was startled too, but quickly calmed, patting her back in comfort.
“Don’t be scared. It’s all fake.”

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