After Flirting with the God-Tier Beautiful Tycoon - Chapter 48

Shen Xiaojiang transformed into a living “Baidu Encyclopedia,” understanding Chen Yi’s meaning instantly without even having to think.

Her face flushed a deep, thorough red.

“Little Aunt, again?!”

Chen Yi let out a series of giggles, a thin mist of moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes.

“It’s interesting.”

“It’s not interesting at all.”

Summer in Haishi brought high temperatures early, but thanks to the monsoons, it didn’t feel overly stifling, nor was it as unbearable as summer in Nancheng.

The wind, carrying the scent of the sea, blew past, bringing a sense of warmth from all directions.

The tea in Shen Xiaojiang’s cup had already hit the bottom.

She set her cup down and looked up at the person beside her.

Chen Yi had her head tilted back and her eyes closed, feeling the warm, moist breeze.

Her hair was blown loose not in a messy way, but in a way that added a touch of chaotic beauty.

The atmosphere of relaxation was instantly dialed to the maximum.

Shen Xiaojiang propped her hands on the table, cradling her chin. She wasn’t sure if the scenery in her eyes was made better by Chen Yi, or if Chen Yi was made better by the scenery before her.

At this moment, the night scene that Shen Xiaojiang usually found extremely ordinary was exceptionally beautiful.

“Shen Xiaojiang,” Chen Yi called her.

“Hmm?” Shen Xiaojiang’s thoughts were pulled back.

Chen Yi’s eyes remained closed as her fluttering hair repeatedly brushed against her face. “Why did you choose to major in Computer Science?”

This was a question Shen Xiaojiang had been asked many times.

But today, she wanted to give a serious answer.

“I just know that I like writing code,” Shen Xiaojiang said. She shifted her posture and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Chen Yi’s ear.

Chen Yi slowly opened her eyes and turned to look at her. “I heard Jiabao say that stuff is very boring.”

Shen Xiaojiang gave a shy smile. “I think it’s okay.”

Interest piqued, Chen Yi propped her cheek with one hand and raised her mug with the other, lowering her head to catch the scent of ginger from the cup.

“What do you think is good about it?” she asked.

Shen Xiaojiang thought for a few seconds, sat up straight in her chair, and leaned a bit closer to Chen Yi. “I can’t really put it into words. I’m the type of person who finds it easy to fall in love with something for no particular reason. Once I truly love it, I’ll keep loving it forever and ever.”

Chen Yi paused, the wrist holding the mug trembling slightly.

She lazily lifted her eyelids, looking into Shen Xiaojiang’s eyes by the dim light of the garden. “Don’t people say that writing code has no future? That it’s just making quick money in the information age?”

Shen Xiaojiang shrugged. “I don’t care. If you measure everything by money and prospects, you lose a lot of the joy.”

She also lightly traced the rim of her cup with her fingertip, though her movements weren’t as elegant as Chen Yi’s. “Back in high school, many of my classmates went into Finance or Automotive Engineering. Even those who started in CS would switch to Software Engineering or general IT in their junior or senior year. But so what?”

Chen Yi didn’t interrupt; she listened quietly.

Shen Xiaojiang continued, “Existence justifies itself. Someone has to study these majors. Just like a person who is ordinary or looked down upon there will always be someone willing to give up everything to love them.”

Hearing this, Chen Yi was stunned.

She felt that Shen Xiaojiang’s words were pointed.

In what way exactly, Chen Yi couldn’t say.

She pretended not to understand.

“Besides, I like it. What does it have to do with anyone else?” After saying this, Shen Xiaojiang beamed a grin at Chen Yi.

Involuntarily, Chen Yi laughed out loud.

Even though there wasn’t a punchline, and even though the current atmosphere wasn’t exactly suited for a big laugh.

But she laughed anyway, a laugh that came from the heart.

“You’re right,” Chen Yi affirmed her. “There are few young people who think about problems the way you do.”

Shen Xiaojiang took it as a compliment.

Chen Yi set her cup down, opened her hand, and pressed her palm against the cool tabletop.

“Then… will you come back to Haishi after graduation?”

Shen Xiaojiang blinked. To be honest, she hadn’t considered things that far off yet.

She wanted to go to grad school, and if possible, get a PhD.

After all, she was quite good at taking exams; as long as she was careful enough, she usually took first place.

She didn’t rush to answer, but instead savored the expression on Chen Yi’s face when she asked the question.

“Little Aunt, do you want me to stay in Nancheng?”

Chen Yi’s heart skipped a beat.

Her fingers, pressed against the table, suddenly curled into an empty fist.

“What?” she feigned ignorance.

“If you want me to stay in Nancheng, I will.” Shen Xiaojiang mirrored Chen Yi’s action, spreading her fingers and pressing her palm flat against the table.

In Chen Yi’s stereotypes, STEM students usually had average social maneuvering skills, her niece Sun Jiabao was a typical example.

It wasn’t until she met Shen Xiaojiang that she realized people are truly different.

Shen Xiaojiang was clearly eight years younger than her and hadn’t truly seen the dark side of society yet.

Yet she could maneuver with someone of Chen Yi’s caliber for this long, and even hold her own.

She saw Shen Xiaojiang in a new light.

A person like Shen Xiaojiang, given a big enough stage, would surely achieve something great.

Chen Yi let out a soft laugh. “What are you talking about?”

Shen Xiaojiang’s fingers moved forward, leaving only a tiny distance between her hand and Chen Yi’s.

“You know what I’m talking about.”

Chen Yi didn’t dare look at Shen Xiaojiang.

She was inexplicably nervous. Occasionally, Shen Xiaojiang’s aura actually surpassed her own.

It wasn’t an aura that intentionally tried to dominate others, but a natural, powerful presence that commanded respect.

Perhaps this was the mark of someone truly strong?

Chen Yi looked down at the cold tea in the mug.

When her finger touched the cup, the light brown surface of the water would ripple beautifully.

Through the small opening of the mug, Chen Yi saw a tiny version of herself in the ripples.

The kind of strength she had been laboring for, pursuing so desperately perhaps it meant nothing in the face of someone truly strong.

Suddenly, Shen Xiaojiang’s hand covered Chen Yi’s. “Little Aunt, don’t grip so hard. Doesn’t your palm hurt?”

Chen Yi jerked her hand open, only then realizing there were several crescent shaped nail marks on her palm.

In just those few minutes, she had actually pinched her own palm red.

“I’m fine,” she answered guiltily.

Shen Xiaojiang didn’t press her. She thought they had plenty of time and could talk about it later.

Later, the two chatted for a while longer before going back to their rooms to sleep.

The next morning, the wind blowing in through the window was moist and warm.

Summer had arrived, the sky turned bright early.

As soon as Shen Xiaojiang’s biological clock went off, she couldn’t fall back asleep.

She turned her head to look at Chen Yi. The other woman’s eyes were closed, her breathing shallow.

Chen Yi’s sleeping face was so beautiful it made one reluctant to even get out of bed.

Shen Xiaojiang moved closer to her, reaching out to brush the stray hairs from her face.

When her fingertip touched the corner of Chen Yi’s eye, Shen Xiaojiang’s wrist trembled for a moment.

Chen Yi’s eyelashes were thick and long, casting a faint shadow on her face against the sunlight.

Shen Xiaojiang very, very lightly caressed the corner of her eye. Then, as if possessed, she leaned in and carefully pressed her lips close.

One second, two seconds…

Not wanting to wake Chen Yi, Shen Xiaojiang pulled away from her eyes with lingering desire, stared at that calm face for a moment, and prepared to get up.

“Where are you going?” A soft, slightly raspy voice came from behind her.

Shen Xiaojiang froze, her shoulders tensing. She gave a dry laugh. “I can’t sleep, so I was going to get up and read for a bit. Sorry, did I wake you?”

The other person was silent for a few seconds.

After hearing some rustling, Shen Xiaojiang turned around to see that Chen Yi had also sat up.

“Reading?” There was a flicker of surprise in Chen Yi’s eyes.

Shen Xiaojiang nodded.

“Are you always this serious?” Chen Yi asked again.

Shen Xiaojiang scratched the corner of her mouth, smiling sheepishly. “Mostly just used to it. And since you were sleeping, reading wouldn’t disturb you.”

“Mhm, that’s fine. Go ahead.” After saying that, Chen Yi leaned back against the headboard.

Wait? Something felt wrong.

Shen Xiaojiang got out of bed, walked to the desk, took her Kindle out of her bag, and opened Introduction to Data Analysis.

This book analyzed data in an easy-to-understand way, filled with case studies and stories. It was much more interesting than boring professional textbooks and was her favorite among the books recommended by “Old Man Mao.”

Normally, she would have already been submerged in the sea of knowledge, unable to pull herself out.

But today, not a single word could capture her attention.

Shen Xiaojiang looked up and happened to meet Chen Yi’s gaze.

The other woman blinked, then smiled with curved eyes.

The smile was as light as a breeze, as fleeting as a passing bird.

Yet it made Shen Xiaojiang’s heart a mess.

It was a strange feeling. Chen Yi wasn’t getting up, nor was she lying back down. Did she plan to just watch her like this?

“Forget it, I…”

Chen Yi shook her head, her voice lazy. “It’s okay. You read your book, I’ll watch you.”

The smile was entirely gathered in the long, slightly curved corners of Chen Yi’s eyes, intoxicating like a smoky haze.

Shen Xiaojiang swallowed, blaming herself for being clumsy with words.

She could read the book anytime!

She immediately turned off the Kindle and turned around, only to find that Chen Yi wasn’t looking at her anymore.

Chen Yi’s hands were propped on the sheets, her neck extended as she looked out the window.

Her gaze was serious and melancholy. It was hard to tell what she was thinking.

Shen Xiaojiang walked over, intentionally blocking Chen Yi’s view. “It probably won’t rain today.”

“Is that so.” A simple statement.

An aimless back and forth conversation.

Shen Xiaojiang’s words sounded a bit playful, a bit warm.

However, Chen Yi’s two words carried no emotion at all.

In that moment, Shen Xiaojiang felt a wave of sadness.

Not for any particular reason, but simply because she was infected by the look in Chen Yi’s eyes.

She sat on Chen Yi’s side of the bed, sharing the same patch of sky.

“You said I’d read and you’d watch me, so where are you looking?” Shen Xiaojiang asked.

Chen Yi was taken aback. She pursed her lips slightly, her phoenix eyes shifting. “Well, you aren’t reading right now.”

“Maybe now isn’t the right time for reading.” Shen Xiaojiang leaned in front of Chen Yi, staring at her directly.

Chen Yi also moved closer, laughing softly. “What, do you pick specific times for reading?”

“Whether I pick a time or not depends on who I’m with.” Shen Xiaojiang narrowed her eyes, revealing a row of neat, white teeth.

Clear eyes, white teeth, and a charming smile, this was the perfect description of Shen Xiaojiang.

Chen Yi’s gaze settled on Shen Xiaojiang’s features. She curled her lips nonchalantly, her voice soft enough to melt. “This trick of yours… you won’t catch me with that bait.”

Shen Xiaojiang moved even closer. “I’m not trying to catch anyone. Only someone who wants to be caught would interpret it that way.”

Chen Yi really was getting to know a new side of Shen Xiaojiang, this girl certainly had a way with words.

She squeezed the bedsheet but made no other move, only slowly lifting her eyes to look at Shen Xiaojiang from the side. “Then right now… what is it the right time for?”

Shen Xiaojiang was stumped for a second. She rubbed her index finger against her lips and smiled. “It’s eight o’clock. We should go for a morning run. We might even run into some grandpas and grandmas singing opera in the park, or get some fresh, hot steamed buns. I’m telling you, around the corner from my place, at the mouth of an alley, there’s a breakfast shop. Their custard buns are incredibly, incredibly delicious!”

Chen Yi paused for a few seconds, blinked, and shifted her gaze away from Shen Xiaojiang’s face. She let out a “pfft” of a laugh that sounded a bit bitter, and a bit disappointed. “You really are…”

Suddenly, a shadow flickered.

Shen Xiaojiang leaned over, one hand pressing down on the back of Chen Yi’s hand, the other cupping the back of her head. She closed her eyes and kissed those soft lips.

Chen Yi’s eyes widened instantly.

A flush spread over the tips of her ears, bleeding quickly down her neck and coloring the skin there.

The kiss wasn’t too long or too short, just long enough for Chen Yi’s mind to go blank.

Suddenly, Shen Xiaojiang stopped, pulling back slightly to look at her with misty eyes. “I was joking.”

Chen Yi didn’t speak, only stared at her blankly.

Shen Xiaojiang chuckled softly. “Right now, it’s the right time to kiss you.”

Her voice was low and slow deep, husky, tender, and ambiguous.

The next second, Shen Xiaojiang raised her hand, loosely covering Chen Yi’s eyes. After depriving her of that sense, she kissed her again.

The long kiss ignited their emotions. On this summer morning, the moment felt as if it would stretch on without end.

“You…”

Chen Yi wanted to move Shen Xiaojiang’s hand, but she stopped the moment she touched the back of it. Her voice was thin and soft. “Wait.”

“Do you not like it?” Shen Xiaojiang asked with a hint of panic.

She thought Chen Yi didn’t like it and was about to move her hand away, but the other woman actively pressed it back down.

Chen Yi’s long eyelashes brushed against Shen Xiaojiang’s palm, causing a tingle of itchiness.

Her mouth opened slightly, her breath shallow yet hurried, carrying waves of a faint, lingering fragrance.

The warm breath turned the air into a hazy, blurred pink mist.

“How could I… not like it.”