After The Forced Marriage, I Ended Up With The Top Celebrity - Chapter 31

“It seems like she’s been preparing all along to come back to you.”

Qiao Jinyan was momentarily stunned, the fingers tapping her thigh coming to a halt. Warmth radiated from the woolen shawl resting on her shoulders, the heat slowly spreading down her arm, seeping into her body, and creeping up to her heart.

The private detective on the other end of the phone didn’t notice any abnormality and continued: “Your girlfriend’s quite something. She managed to decode information that we couldn’t get. But with her amateur skills, trying to go against Zhang Weiyin is a bit exaggerated.”

“At least she tried.” Qiao Jinyan interrupted softly, a gentle tenderness coloring the corners of her eyes.

The detective was a little surprised: “That’s true…”

The light in Qiao Jinyan’s eyes softened even more.

Luo Nianshu.

She gently traced those three characters on her thigh with her fingertip, stroke by stroke, softly and slowly. A ticklish, delightful sensation spread from her skin inward, scratching at the tip of her heart with sweetness.

Luo Nianshu.

You really do like me.

“That’s all I wanted to say. Anyway, after you return to the country, try to find Qing Jiuyan. If she agrees, things will be much easier.”

“I understand, thanks.”

After hanging up, Qiao Jinyan walked barefoot to the dressing table. She propped her head up with one hand and stared at her reflection, deep in thought.

What method could she use to make Luo Nianshu tell the truth?

The dressing table was piled with bottles and jars, neatly arranged. Perfumes shimmered with colorful light under the reflection, the elegant scents permeating every corner. But in Qiao Jinyan’s nostrils, there was only the faint fragrance of peach blossoms.

Her gaze deepened. Her fingers slid slowly over the luxurious makeup products.

Lipsticks, eyeshadows, eyeliners, foundations… She had more than a dozen shades of each.

Tilting her head slightly, a few strands of long hair fell across one side of her face. She looked at the delicate and thick makeup liquids and squinted, suddenly revealing a sly smile.

Evening was approaching, long past Luo Nianshu’s finishing time at work.

Qiao Jinyan curled up on the bed, hesitated for a moment, then decided to call Luo Nianshu.

After a few rings, the call was answered, and Qiao Jinyan silently breathed a sigh of relief.

“Nianshu, where are you?” she asked cautiously, not wanting to sound too obvious.

“I’m at the door, open up.” Luo Nianshu’s light laughter came from the phone.

Qiao Jinyan was taken aback, quickly got out of bed, and peeked through the peephole, seeing Luo Nianshu standing outside with a smile.

She opened the door. At that moment, Qiao Jinyan wore only an oversized white shirt, the hem covering her thighs. She had no pants on, revealing her long, fair legs, barefoot, her dark curly hair loose—both sexy and pure.

Luo Nianshu entered, her hair tied into a low ponytail at the back of her head. The white shirt was slightly damp with sweat. Her left arm draped over her own suit jacket, and in her hand was a package, while her right hand dragged a large suitcase.

“Why bring so much stuff back?” Qiao Jinyan bent down to help take the suitcase inside.

Luo Nianshu casually tossed the jacket onto a chair, then unbuttoned one button at her chest, puffing air into the collar.

“Aren’t you going back to the country? I brought my luggage to stay with you.”

Her peach blossom eyes were clear and bright, smiling yet serious, as if resolute about something.

Qiao Jinyan was stunned, then couldn’t help but laugh.

She stepped forward and hooked her arm around Luo Nianshu’s neck. Luo Nianshu leaned against her shoulder, keeping her at a distance.

“What are you doing? Getting so emotional you want to offer yourself now?”

Qiao Jinyan’s face flushed; she quickly let go. Luo Nianshu smiled, wrapping an arm around Qiao Jinyan’s waist and pulling her back.

“Goddess, help me unpack.”

Qiao Jinyan made a grunt of reluctance but squatted with Luo Nianshu to sort through the luggage.

Luo Nianshu opened the suitcase zipper and said: “Goddess, I resigned today. From now on, you have to support me.”

“Sure, if you marry me, I’ll support you,” Qiao Jinyan teased, continuing to push the marriage topic.

Luo Nianshu cleared her throat and avoided the subject: “I think we should keep a low profile for a while, no need to stir up any trouble.”

Trouble.

Qiao Jinyan caught that word sharply and nodded knowingly: “Okay, we’ll keep low for now. When the trouble’s over, we can be together properly.”

She emphasized the word “trouble.”

Luo Nianshu paused and glanced back at Qiao Jinyan, but her expression remained unchanged, giving nothing away.

Luo Nianshu bent down again to continue sorting clothes, but somehow the garments got tangled, making her increasingly frustrated, like the mess inside her mind.

“I’ll help you.”

Qiao Jinyan leaned over to take the tangled clothes, and their hands touched. Luo Nianshu’s palm was warm and damp probably sweat from nerves and worry. Qiao Jinyan quickly pulled her hand back but memorized the palm lines clearly.

Pretending nothing had happened, Qiao Jinyan focused on untangling the mess.

At the end, wrapped in the clothes was a dark blue lace bra.

Qiao Jinyan smiled, noticing Luo Nianshu still bent over, unaware of what she held.

She spread the bra on her lap, fastened the clasp, then flipped it over to check the tag, reading the size clearly.

“Not mistaken, you really have grown up,” Qiao Jinyan teased with an ambiguous tone, shooting Luo Nianshu a sly glance, wanting to make her embarrassed.

Luo Nianshu looked up and saw the bra on Qiao Jinyan’s knee, but instead of blushing, she smiled: “Yeah, I got bigger, thinking about you.”

Qiao Jinyan was speechless: “Such shamelessness.”

Putting the bra aside, Qiao Jinyan quietly squatted behind Luo Nianshu and suddenly wrapped her arms around her waist, reaching toward her chest.

Luo Nianshu startled and trembled: “What are you doing?”

“Relieving your longing,” Qiao Jinyan said, pretending innocence, blinking coyly.

Luo Nianshu: “This old fox is getting worse and worse.”

“What’s the package?” Qiao Jinyan stood up, the shirt tail swinging and brushing Luo Nianshu’s face.

Luo Nianshu smelled the fresh scent and stepped back a little, watching Qiao Jinyan tear open the outer wrapping.

“I don’t know. Isn’t it yours?” Luo Nianshu was puzzled. She’d seen the package by the door when she came in and assumed it was Qiao Jinyan’s.

“I didn’t order anything.” Qiao Jinyan tore off the white wrapping to reveal a beautiful pink box. She curled a finger, about to open it.

“No order?”

Luo Nianshu frowned, suddenly realizing something. She hurriedly stopped Qiao Jinyan from lifting the lid with a swift move.

A sharp “snap” sounded in the room.

Qiao Jinyan was startled, tilting her head with confusion.

Luo Nianshu’s chest heaved, her face looking grim. She forced a smile: “Don’t open it. I forgot—that’s my package.”

They stood facing each other.

Qiao Jinyan said nothing, still firmly holding the pink box, unwilling to let go.

Luo Nianshu hadn’t recovered from her tension. She gripped the box edge, trying to take it back but found she couldn’t lift it.

Qiao Jinyan’s fingers whitened slightly from the pressure.

Her gaze darkened, as if she understood something yet also pretended not to.

A breeze slipped through the window. Luo Nianshu’s clothes, already hot from sweat, now felt chilly. Goosebumps rose as the cold wind blew.

“Give it to me.” Luo Nianshu laughed lightly, trying to pry open Qiao Jinyan’s fingers little by little.

“Luo Nianshu.” Qiao Jinyan’s red lips parted; her voice was clear like spring water, cold and calm.

“If I don’t open this box, you don’t open it either.”

Luo Nianshu smiled but didn’t reply. She took the box from Qiao Jinyan’s hand carefully and placed it aside.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

Qiao Jinyan’s voice became lazy as she walked into the bathroom, unbuttoning her shirt as if nothing had happened.

Luo Nianshu replied softly and, after hearing the bathroom door close, carefully opened the pink box.

A strong metallic, bloody smell flooded her nose.

Inside lay a black, sticky object it was a headless rat carcass.

On the box lid, written in red with the rat’s blood, were the words: You broke the contract.

The blood had dried long ago, darkened, with the strokes ending in tiny coagulated granules.

Luo Nianshu fought the urge to vomit, hid the box in a corner, then went to the balcony and called Molly.

“Molly, today I got a package at the goddess’s door. Inside was a headless rat corpse.”

Molly’s voice became cautious: “You suspect Zhang Weiyin sent it?”

“That’s what I think. It’s been quiet these past few days.”

“I see. Don’t touch the box. Give it to me tomorrow to handle.”

“Okay.”

Their brief exchange filled the air with tension. The balcony curtains billowed in the wind, wrapping around Luo Nianshu.

She tightened her grip on the phone.

“Nianshu, help me get a bottle of shower gel. I ran out.”

Qiao Jinyan’s voice came from the bathroom, warm and steamy, making the chilly wind outside feel a bit warmer.

“Coming.” Luo Nianshu said and quickly hung up, bending down to get the shower gel from the suitcase, then pushed open the frosted glass bathroom door.

The bathroom was lit warmly, bathed in a soft yellow glow. Steam fogged the air, forming a white mist.

Warm.

Moist.

As beautiful as a woman’s body.

Qiao Jinyan half-sat in the bathtub, water covering her chest but not hiding the beautiful scene. The ripples on the water cast a gentle golden light on her skin, making it look even fairer and more delicate.

Her long hair was pinned back with a purple butterfly clip. The warm water steamed her cheeks pink, adding a shy femininity.

A droplet of water slid down her neck, tracing her shoulder and settling into the hollow of her collarbone.

Luo Nianshu stared at the droplet, suddenly feeling parched, rooted to the spot and unable to move.

Qiao Jinyan saw Luo Nianshu’s reaction clearly, a smile blooming in her eyes. Her red lips parted, warm breath escaping as she said:

“Come here, Nianshu.”