Beauty Snake - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Dear Feifei is Finally Preparing for the Confession~

“Have you lost your mind? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Let me see.” Seeing Chi Chang’s ghostly expression, Ji Yunfei brushed her aside and squinted through the peephole.

“…”

“Maybe I’ve lost my mind too…” Staring at the adorable cat face pressed right against the peephole, Ji Yunfei found the situation utterly bizarre.

She looked again, refusing to believe it, until she finally realized the cute face belonged to baby Baibai.

“This Xie Yin…” Ji Yunfei gritted her teeth, exhaling the name with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Click…

The door opened. Standing there, just as Ji Yunfei suspected, was Xie Yin, cradling Baibai and stroking her fur.

“Oh, CEO Xie? You’re here because…?” Chi Chang rushed forward, speaking before Ji Yunfei could.

“Ahem… Baibai couldn’t wait any longer; she wanted to see her sister.”

“As her mother, I naturally have to follow the child’s wishes.”

“However… why is Director Chi at someone else’s house so late?”

“I couldn’t tell at the office that you and… Ji Yunfei were this close.”

Xie Yin’s eyes darted around as she covered her mouth with her hand, feigning composure while taking the opportunity to throw a little shade.

“Ah… oh… I just came to see baby Heihe.”

“It’s about time… I should head out!”

“See you at work!!” Chi Chang could read the room; Xie Yin was clearly treating her as a romantic rival!

Chi Chang gave a few awkward laughs, and without giving Ji Yunfei a chance to say another word, she stuffed Heihe back into her arms and beat a hasty retreat, wanting no part of this lovers’ quarrel.

“Aren’t you going to invite Baibai in for a bit?” Once Chi Chang was out of sight, Xie Yin spoke slowly, maintaining her usual cool, professional persona.

“Oh… come on in…”

Just as Xie Yin was about to step inside, Ji Yunfei blocked her with a free hand, adding:

“I meant Baibai.” “After all, only Baibai ‘couldn’t wait’ to get in.” As she spoke, Ji Yunfei took Baibai from Xie Yin’s arms, cradling both kittens together.

“Alright, Baibai is in. CEO Xie, you should head back. I’ll bring her home later~” Ji Yunfei made a move to close the door.

“Wait…” Xie Yin’s slender, pale hand gripped the doorframe, sliding along the edge until it covered Ji Yunfei’s hand on the lock.

“Chi Chang could enter, but I can’t?”

The moment she said it, the scent of jealousy in the air became so thick you’d think you were standing in a vinegar factory.

“Pfft, alright, come in…”

“Sit down and hold these two. I’ll go get some water.” Moving aside to let Xie Yin in, Ji Yunfei handed the two kittens to her, shooing her toward the sofa while she went to the kitchen.

“Chi Chang…” The sofa dipped slightly as Ji Yunfei sat down beside her. Only then did Xie Yin speak.

“Stop overthinking it, CEO Xie. The jealousy is practically overflowing…”

“Chi Chang is a very good friend of mine; she only came to see Heihe today.”

“A ‘very good friend’…”

“Su Yao was also a ‘very good friend,’ and she had those kinds of feelings for you.”

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s different. She has someone she likes, and it’s not me.”

“Actually, I was using this time to test her preferences.”

“Test her preferences?”

“Shh. That commission from Qin Qing… I’m almost certain it’s a gift for Chi Chang.”

“?” Seeing Xie Yin’s complex and confused expression, Ji Yunfei smiled mysteriously.

“It’s complicated to explain, but based on the time we just spent together… I have a perfect design plan ready!”

“I see… then today, I was a bit impetuous.” Realizing how reckless she had been, Xie Yin’s face flushed with a hint of crimson, her whole body radiating embarrassment.

“It’s okay, I don’t blame you. I should have explained things before I left to prevent you from misunderstanding.” Seeing Xie Yin subconsciously petting the kittens with a look of being lost, Ji Yunfei couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle the woman’s soft hair.

“You know, when you were standing at the door just now, you really looked like a puffed-up, bristling kitten.” Ji Yunfei didn’t stop petting her, a smile playing on her lips.

“Then when are you going to take this ‘kitten’ home?” Her hand was gently caught, and the head beneath it tilted, actively leaning into her palm.

“Hmm? Kittens? I already brought Heihe and Baibai home.” Ji Yunfei played dumb again.

“Hmph, you know what I mean…” Not getting the answer she wanted, Xie Yin pouted and grumbled.

“I don’t know… Alright, since you brought Baibai, stay for dinner?” Dropping the teasing, Ji Yunfei invited her.

“Mmm… but this time, let me cook.”

“Since I’m already here, we might as well move our ‘day after tomorrow’ date to today.”

Without waiting for a refusal, Xie Yin stood up, opened the fridge, and began selecting ingredients. Seeing her so proactive, Ji Yunfei went along with it and settled back onto the sofa to play with the two little ones.

The sky gradually turned amber as the sunset glow filtered through the window, bathing the person and the two cats playing in the living room. Meanwhile, the woman in the kitchen, who appeared focused on her cooking, kept her eyes on the living room, her gaze full of warmth.

“Ah—it smells so good!” Along with the sound of the spatula in the kitchen, the aroma of twice-cooked pork wafted out, followed by chicken soup and dry-pot cauliflower. The scents swirled around Ji Yunfei’s nose, refusing to leave.

“Sit down, it’s time to eat.” Ji Yunfei walked to the table just as Xie Yin finished setting the places, still wearing her apron. Compared to her cold, unapproachable office persona, the current Xie Yin was softer, more inviting…

“Xie Yin… do you have any arrangements for the team-building trip?” Halfway through the meal, Ji Yunfei set down her chopsticks and rested her chin in her hands, looking at Xie Yin.

“The trip? The planning was delegated to the various departments. I’m just the financier.”

“Of course, to keep it a mystery, the entire itinerary is a secret to everyone except a few department heads.”

“That includes me.” Xie Yin shrugged, indicating she was in the dark too.

“I meant arrangements outside of the company’s plan…” Ji Yunfei’s voice trailed off, sounding a bit guilty.

“That… I haven’t decided yet. Why don’t you lead me, A-Fei?”

“I’ll listen to whatever you say.” Xie Yin didn’t miss this chance to tease her, making her words intentionally ambiguous.

“Cough, cough, cough—!” Ji Yunfei was caught off guard and choked on her own saliva.

“Lead you… I suppose I could. It depends on your behavior.”

“Fine, I will behave… very… well.” Xie Yin’s tone deepened with each word. Ji Yunfei met those dark eyes and felt a wave of possessiveness crashing over her.

Perhaps it was the multiple meanings behind “behave well,” or perhaps it was just Xie Yin’s burning tone, but her ears turned hot uncontrollably, and she looked away.

“Once you’re finished, take Baibai back and feed her.”

“Don’t let the child go hungry.” Seeing Xie Yin put down her chopsticks, Ji Yunfei was eager to shoo her out. This woman was full of mischief; the longer she stayed, the more “danger” Ji Yunfei was in.

“Baibai… Mommy is kicking us out.”

“Say bye-bye to Mommy.”

“Meow~” Xie Yin held Baibai up to Ji Yunfei’s face, speaking in a pitiful tone, and Baibai cooperated perfectly with a meow.

“A pair of jokers…” Ji Yunfei shook her head but didn’t soften. she walked the woman and cat to Xie Yin’s door. Despite Xie Yin’s continued attempts to act weak and invite her in, Ji Yunfei remained unmoved and went back home.

“Phew—” After finishing the chores, Ji Yunfei took a relaxing shower and sat down at her study desk.

She thought of the way Chi Chang missed her long-haired calico earlier, and inspiration flooded her mind. She pulled the design draft from her bag and began integrating her new ideas. As the pencil moved across the paper, a pair of brilliant blue eyes gradually emerged.

She was certain this design was the right one.

By the time the initial draft was finished, it was late. Ji Yunfei had been so absorbed in drawing that she had ignored all notifications. Only now did she have time to reply. But first, she had to send the draft to Qin Qing.

FFF: “Ms. Qin, here is the initial draft. Please have a look”

FFF: “Sent PDF file“

“The other party has accepted your file”

QC: “Received. I’ll look at it in detail tomorrow morning and get back to you.”

Exiting the chat with Qin Qing, Ji Yunfei immediately saw the red notification dot by Chi Chang’s icon.

Chang-Chang-Chang: “So, was I a good wingwoman or what? Giving you two some private time! Don’t I deserve a compliment?”

Chang-Chang-Chang: “Don’t forget to thank me once you’re officially together~”

FFF: “Only you, Chi Chang, could describe running away as something so poetic.”

FFF: “I will not forgive you.”

FFF: [Pang-Pang getting angry.jpg]

Chang-Chang-Chang: “My bad!! Forgive me!!”

Chang-Chang-Chang: “Hey, but speaking of your current situation with Xie Yin…”

Chang-Chang-Chang: “Won’t that ‘Beautiful Snake Demon’ who was pestering you get jealous?”

“Beautiful Snake Demon…” Mentioned by Chi Chang, Ji Yunfei realized she hadn’t seen her in her dreams since that time in S-City.

She reached up and touched the snake scale hanging around her neck, frowning slightly before relaxing.

FFF: “She hasn’t appeared in a long time. She’s probably given up.”

FFF: “Anyway, if you want me to forgive you, fine.”

FFF: “Help me think of what to give as a confession gift…”

Chang-Chang-Chang: “!! Holy crap, the blockhead has finally seen the light! You’re going to confess?!!”

Chang-Chang-Chang: “I suggest you just wrap yourself up as the gift…”

Chang-Chang-Chang: “Put a ribbon on yourself and jump into her arms, hehehe…” Even through the screen, Ji Yunfei could imagine the silly, priceless grin on her friend’s face.

FFF: “…Be serious!!” Although she replied that way, in a secret corner of her heart, she actually made a mental note of the suggestion.

Chang-Chang-Chang: “Fine, fine… Don’t you work with jewelry every day? Just make something decent to give her.”

Jewelry…? That felt a bit too mundane. But she actually did have an idea!

FFF: “Suggestion adopted. Starting the sketch now. Do not disturb.”

Chang-Chang-Chang: “?? You rascal!!”

Screen off. Ji Yunfei pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and bent over the desk. She drew until the middle of the night. As she finished the final stroke, she finally gave in to her heavy eyelids and fell into a deep sleep right there on the desk.

Despite sleeping half the night, Ji Yunfei woke up the next morning with dark circles under her eyes, looking quite haggard. She groggily got ready and headed to work. She spent the entire morning in a daze, fluctuating between being awake and drifting off. It wasn’t until a message from Qin Qing arrived that she finally regained some clarity.

QC: “The initial draft is great. I’m very satisfied, but there are a few small details that need refining…”

After confirming the details with Qin Qing, Ji Yunfei was finally fully awake. Thinking about what she planned to do after work, she felt a surge of excitement. For the rest of the afternoon, she was like she had been injected with adrenaline—the complete opposite of her morning self.

Finally, the long-awaited end of the workday arrived. The moment the clock struck, she shut down her computer, packed her things, and dashed for the elevator in one smooth motion. She didn’t even notice when she bumped into Xie Yin and ignored her greeting.

“That dummy…” Seeing Ji Yunfei in such a rush, Xie Yin pulled back the hand she had raised to wave and shook her head helplessly.

Inside a small wood-carving shop on Cross Street in C-City, a few couples were scattered about, carving tokens of love by hand. The air was faintly scented with sandalwood. At the back of the shop sat a woman in a floral dress, her black hair pinned up. She looked to be in her thirties and was currently smiling gently.

Tinkle— The bell rang. A woman with brown hair, wearing a denim jacket and holding design sketches, pushed open the door. She flashed a bright smile at the woman inside.

“Sister Yun, I’m here to make a ring—!”

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