Forcibly Taken by My Student’s Mother - Chapter 23.2

Chapter 23.2: Warm, Soft, Carrying the Scent of a Person…

The corners of Lu Xuelan’s lips curled imperceptibly, and the two of them walked out, one behind the other.

The gallery was located in an old building in the city center, a place of quiet amidst the bustle.

When Tao Yao followed Lu Xuelan inside, she was instantly struck by the atmosphere. The high ceilings, pure white walls, and soft lighting hitting the artworks created a space so quiet that only occasional whispers could be heard.

There weren’t many people viewing the exhibition, and most were dressed sophisticatedly and carried themselves with elegance.

Tao Yao looked down at her simple T-shirt and jeans, suddenly feeling somewhat out of place.

Lu Xuelan, however, seemed not to care at all, walking naturally ahead. The sound of high heels clicking against the marble floor echoed in the vast space, carrying a composed sense of rhythm.

Following behind her, Tao Yao’s gaze couldn’t help but fall on her back.

The cream-colored casual pants hugged her long, straight legs, and her top was a silk shirt with the hem tucked into the waistband, outlining a slender waistline. Her long hair was loosely pinned up, revealing the elegant lines of her neck. Even with such casual attire, the innate aura Lu Xuelan possessed still made her stand out exceptionally in the crowd.

They stopped in front of an abstract painting.

The canvas featured large splashes of red, orange, and gold; the colors were rich and passionate.

Lu Xuelan looked at it silently for a moment, then turned her head to look at Tao Yao.

“Teacher Tao,” she asked softly, “what do you think of this painting?”

Tao Yao blanked for a moment. What did she know about abstract art? She was just a web novel writer whose aesthetics were stuck at the level of “looks good” or “doesn’t look good.” But since the other party asked, she had to force an answer.

“Um… it looks like…” She stared at the frenzied colors, squeezing out an answer after a long pause, “like a knocked-over palette?”

As soon as she said it, she regretted it. What kind of stupid answer was that?

However, Lu Xuelan let out a low laugh.

The laughter was very light, carrying a slight vibration from her chest, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet space.

“I think,” she turned her head back to look at the painting, her voice carrying a certain distant meaning, “it looks like the first time I saw you.”

Tao Yao’s heart skipped a beat. Lu Xuelan moved her gaze from the artwork to Tao Yao’s face. In those eyes that were always calm, the soft light of the gallery was now reflected, making them look exceptionally deep.

“Passionate, vivid, making it impossible to look away.”

Tao Yao’s face flushed instantly. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn’t spit out a single word. She could only hurriedly avert her gaze, pretending to look seriously at the painting while her heart hammered in her chest.

For the rest of the tour, Tao Yao was completely preoccupied.

She followed behind Lu Xuelan, looking at the paintings, but her mind was filled with that sentence.

Passionate, vivid, making it impossible to look away… Was she talking about her? How could that be. She was just an ordinary college student wearing cheap clothes, riding a second-hand mountain bike, forced to endure this frustrating job for money. And Lu Xuelan was the president of a listed company, living in a villa, driving a luxury car, giving away gifts that were worth several months of Tao Yao’s living expenses.

They were from two completely different worlds.

But… why did Lu Xuelan say those things?

Could it be that she was putting so much effort into pleasing her just because she craved her body? Besides that, she really couldn’t think of any other reason. Sigh, the thoughts of rich people really are hard to guess.

Tao Yao stole a glance at the woman beside her.

Lu Xuelan was focused on a landscape painting. Her long eyelashes cast a faint shadow under her eyes; she had a straight nose and beautifully lined lips. Tao Yao couldn’t help but think back to the day she had a fever and they almost kissed. Kissing her must be… Stop! Tao Yao, what are you thinking!

She snapped her gaze back, forcing herself to stare at the painting in front of her to pull back those messy thoughts.

The visit ended past 4:00 PM.

The two walked out of the gallery as the evening sun shone diagonally, gilding the streets in gold.

“Are you hungry?” Lu Xuelan spoke naturally. “I know a good Western restaurant nearby. Want to go try it?”

Tao Yao originally wanted to refuse, but her stomach betrayed her at that moment with a growl.

A flash of a smile crossed Lu Xuelan’s eyes, but she quickly hid it.

“Looks like you are hungry.” Her tone was as usual. “Let’s go. That restaurant’s desserts are very famous; you should like them.”

What else could Tao Yao say? She could only follow.

The restaurant was very stylishly decorated and clearly expensive, with dark wood decor, soft lighting, fresh bouquets on every table, and the air filled with the faint scent of food and coffee.

The waiter obviously recognized Lu Xuelan and respectfully led them to a window seat.

After they sat down, Lu Xuelan naturally handed the menu to Tao Yao.

“See what you want to eat.”

Tao Yao flipped open the menu and then gasped at the prices inside. The price of a single appetizer was enough for her to eat for a week. She peeked at Lu Xuelan, who was looking down at her own menu with a calm expression, as if these prices were perfectly normal.

Tao Yao bit her lip and chose the spaghetti, which looked the cheapest.

“Just this then.” She handed the menu back.

Lu Xuelan glanced at her but said nothing. She took the menu, added several more dishes and desserts, and then whispered a few instructions to the waiter.

While waiting for the food, the atmosphere was somewhat subtly quiet.

Tao Yao looked down and toyed with her napkin, not knowing what to say. Lu Xuelan leaned back against her chair, her gaze fixed on the darkening sky outside the window, her profile looking exceptionally quiet in the twilight.

Fortunately, the food arrived quickly.

Tao Yao’s plate of spaghetti came first.

She hadn’t held high expectations, but after taking a bite, her eyes lit up instantly. So delicious! The noodles were cooked just right, the sauce was rich, and there were large chunks of shrimp and shellfish hidden inside, so savory that she almost bit her tongue.

She couldn’t help but take another bite, and then another, completely forgetting to be demure.

Lu Xuelan sat opposite her, watching her head down, eating heartily; the smile in her eyes became increasingly obvious.

“Eat slowly.” She said softly, her tone carrying a gentleness she hadn’t noticed herself. “No one is fighting you for it.”

Only then did Tao Yao realize her eating manner wasn’t very graceful. She slowed down embarrassedly, but her eyes were still sparkling.

“Is it good?” Lu Xuelan asked.

“Mm!” Tao Yao nodded vigorously. “Really delicious!”

This was her first truly genuine smile of the day. Her eyes were curved, and her cheeks puffed out slightly from chewing, like a satisfied small animal.

Looking at her smile, Lu Xuelan’s eyes deepened.

The next few dishes were served one after another, each one exquisite and delicious.

Tao Yao was a bit reserved at first, but with the gourmet food in front of her, she quickly let go and ate with great relish. Lu Xuelan didn’t eat much; most of the time she spent watching her eat, occasionally recommending which sauce went better with a certain dish or reminding her to be careful of the heat.

The atmosphere was unexpectedly harmonious.

Finally, dessert was served—an exquisite chocolate lava cake paired with a small cup of vanilla ice cream. Seeing the dessert, Tao Yao’s eyes brightened even more. She dug a spoonful of cake into her mouth. The warm, rich chocolate sauce melted in her mouth, mixing with the coldness of the ice cream; that ultimate texture and sweetness made her squint her eyes in satisfaction.

“This is also so good…” she said vaguely, a bit of chocolate sauce still clinging to the corner of her mouth.

Lu Xuelan looked at her, delighted that she had finally found the right way to please her. At this moment, Tao Yao seemed to have dropped all her vigilance and defenses, like an ordinary girl, simply happy because of delicious food.

“If you like it, we can come back next time.” Lu Xuelan said naturally. “Or, we can try other restaurants. What else do you like to eat?”

Tao Yao was immersed in the happiness of the dessert and answered without a second thought: “Hot pot! Malatang! Crawfish! Barbecue! And that Sichuan restaurant on the street behind our school, their boiled fish is amazing…” She listed a whole string of favorites like she was counting treasures, her eyes sparkling, completely forgetting who was sitting opposite her.

Lu Xuelan listened quietly. Only after Tao Yao finished did she speak: “I haven’t eaten any of those.”

Tao Yao was stunned.

“These… you haven’t eaten any of them?” She found it somewhat hard to believe.

Lu Xuelan nodded, her tone flat: “Work is busy, there are many social engagements, but most are formal business meals. These things you mentioned… the more ‘grounded’ things, I rarely have the chance to try.”

Looking at her, Tao Yao suddenly felt that this high-and-mighty woman was actually a bit… pitiable?

“Then we can go eat them together another day!” she blurted out, only realizing something was wrong after she said it, quickly adding, “I mean… if you’re interested…” You can go eat with your daughter.

“I am very interested.” Lu Xuelan interrupted her, her smile thickening: “Everything you just mentioned, I want to try them all. Another day, let’s go together.”

Tao Yao opened her mouth, wanting to take it back, but it was already too late.

Looking at the smile in Lu Xuelan’s eyes, she suddenly had the feeling that she had dug a pit and jumped into it herself.

As the dinner neared its end, the waiter brought two glasses of champagne.

Lu Xuelan picked up a glass and naturally handed it toward Tao Yao. Tao Yao reached out to take it. Just at the moment their fingertips touched, Lu Xuelan intentionally let her hand brush lightly past Tao Yao’s fingertips, seemingly accidentally rubbing back and forth for a moment. Tao Yao felt as if she had been burned and snapped her hand back.

“Smash—” The glass fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

The champagne splashed out, soaking Lu Xuelan.

On the cream-colored silk shirt, a large, dark wine stain immediately appeared.

“I’m sorry!” Tao Yao hurriedly stood up, pulling out a tissue. “I didn’t mean to, I…” She reached out wanting to wipe it but didn’t dare to actually touch Lu Xuelan; her hand froze in mid-air, caught in a dilemma.

Lu Xuelan looked down at her shirt, then at Tao Yao’s panicked state, a triumphant smile flashing in her eyes.

“It’s okay,” she said, her voice very calm.

She took the tissue from Tao Yao’s hand but didn’t wipe it immediately. Instead, she raised her hand and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt in a leisurely manner. This action was done extremely naturally, as if the shirt being wet was just uncomfortable and she needed to loosen it.

But Tao Yao’s eyes widened instantly.

Because beneath the buttons Lu Xuelan had undone, the clear lines of her collarbones were revealed, along with a small patch of fair skin below them. The wine stain was spreading down along the collarbone, disappearing into the depths of her shirt.

“Teacher Tao.” Lu Xuelan handed the tissue back to Tao Yao. “Can you help me wipe it? I can’t see.”

Tao Yao turned completely into a stone statue.

She looked at the handed-over tissue, then at Lu Xuelan’s open collar, her throat dry.

“I…”

“Right here on the collarbone.” Lu Xuelan tilted her head slightly, revealing the long lines of her neck, and pointed vaguely toward the wine stain with her fingertip. “Just wipe it.”

Her tone was too natural—so natural that if Tao Yao refused, it would instead make her own thoughts seem dirty.

Tao Yao bit her lip, took the tissue, and extended her trembling hand. Through the tissue, her fingertips touched the skin at Lu Xuelan’s collarbone. It was warm, soft, and carried the unique temperature of a human body.

Her hand shook even harder. She wiped randomly a few times and wanted to pull her hand back.

“There’s more below,” Lu Xuelan reminded her softly.

Tao Yao’s gaze uncontrollably drifted downward. The wine stain had indeed spread down a bit, sinking into the shadow of the shirt. If she wanted to wipe it clean, she would have to… Her face was hot enough to fry an egg.

“T-That should be enough, right?” her voice was dry. “It won’t come clean; just wash it when you get back…”

Looking at her flushed cheeks and evasive eyes, Lu Xuelan finally stopped making things difficult for her.

“True.” She straightened up and re-buttoned her shirt, her movements as composed as if nothing had just happened. “Then let’s go back.”

As if receiving a grand pardon, Tao Yao quickly nodded.

On the car ride back, the two still didn’t say much.

Tao Yao turned her head to look at the night scenery flashing past the window, her mind in a mess. Back in the restaurant, that action of Lu Xuelan unbuttoning her shirt and her request for help wiping the wine stain… was it intentional?

Definitely.

How could that woman not know how ambiguous that action was? She was intentionally seducing her, and yet Tao Yao could only play dumb, having no other choice.

It was really infuriating and so suffocating!

Just then, Lu Xuelan suddenly spoke.

“Teacher Tao.”

Tao Yao’s heart tightened, and she quickly turned her head: “Yes?”

Lu Xuelan looked straight ahead, focusing on driving, her profile flickering in the light and shadow of the streetlamps.

“Have you ever been in love?” she asked, her tone very casual, as if chatting.

Tao Yao blanked for a moment and answered honestly: “No.”

“What a coincidence.” Lu Xuelan gave a soft laugh. “Neither have I.”

Tao Yao: “…?” She doubted she had heard correctly.

Lu Xuelan turned her head, looked at her, and said very seriously: “This is also the first time I have wanted to seriously fall in love with someone.”

Tao Yao roared in her heart: Your daughter is already eighteen! You’re telling me you’ve never been in love?!

…But she didn’t dare say it.