Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 21

Yin Yunzhu couldn’t refuse Jiang Menghe, especially when bombarded by the woman’s sweet nothings that left her utterly disoriented.

Jiang Menghe was skilled at romantic talk. Though usually gentle and restrained, her wantonness in bed would always subside by the time she fastened the last button of her shirt.

Exhausted and limp on the crumpled sheets, Yin Yunzhu’s hand brushed against the dampness beneath her. She turned over to find Jiang Menghe still awake, her lively eyes even more captivating in the dim light, like tiny swirling vortices.

The woman’s bare upper body revealed kiss marks scattered across her warm, pale shoulders and neck, with clear bite marks on her collarbone.

As if scalded, Yin Yunzhu quickly averted her gaze, muttering awkwardly, “Cover yourself with the blanket, don’t catch a cold.”

She slowly climbed out of bed, wrapping herself in a plush coral fleece robe that made her look like a docile alpaca.

Jiang Menghe smirked, her upper body shivering slightly from the cold, the red mole on her left breast vivid and alluring. Defiantly, she tugged the blanket lower.

“What are you doing so late?” she asked, unusually interested in something unrelated to sex.

“I want to change the sheets.” Yin Yunzhu opened the nearby walk-in closet, standing on tiptoe to pull down a fresh set of bedding from the top shelf.

“Then isn’t me lying here in the way?” Jiang Menghe sat cross-legged, picking up the discarded bra and leisurely fastening it, the soft fabric shaping her slender waist.

She made no attempt to hide, even treating it as a form of teasing.

“It’s fine,” Yin Yunzhu’s voice was muffled by the thick fleece. “You can sleep in the guest room.”

Like casting flirtatious glances at a blind man, Jiang Menghe stood and offered a hand. “Yin Yunzhu, I want to sleep with you.”

The room was temperature-controlled, the AC breeze gradually fading. Her tone was solemn, yet the words were playful, making Yin Yunzhu blush furiously in the quiet space.

She looked at Jiang Menghe, who appeared utterly innocent, like a nurturing mother beast exposing her soft belly completely devoid of any lewd intent.

“Then sleep,” Yin Yunzhu grumbled.

In such trivial matters, she always yielded to others.

“You spoil me,” Jiang Menghe said, helping her remove the old sheets, her smile one of someone thoroughly pampered.

Though older and outwardly the caretaker, the dynamic was actually the opposite. Perhaps due to her experience caring for Yin Xuan, Yin Yunzhu had a knack for making others feel at ease.

In the afterglow, the two no longer fell into the cold, transactional dynamic of mutual need.

As they chatted idly, a loud thud suddenly came from the next room.

“What was that?” Jiang Menghe turned toward the sound.

Yin Yunzhu suddenly remembered something and hurriedly dropped what she was holding, rushing to the study.

When the light flicked on, Xiao Yu was hiding behind the curtains, peeking through a gap. The cat was clearly startled, its eyes reflecting white light.

The study was a mess, the laptop and its stand had fallen to the floor, and the mouse dangled from the desk edge by its cord, swaying back and forth.

“Are you asking for a spanking?” Yin Yunzhu’s scolding was soft and utterly unconvincing.

Jiang Menghe, who had followed, leaned against the doorway, quietly watching the standoff between woman and cat, inexplicably amused.

Pulling back the curtains, she found the orange cat entirely unrepentant, its tail thumping impatiently on the floor. She scooped up Xiao Yu, ready to toss it into the living room.

“Let me hold it,” Jiang Menghe blocked her path, reaching out to take the cat.

Unexpectedly, the kitten smelled an unfamiliar scent and reacted immediately, kicking off the woman’s shoulder in alarm. Tiny beads of blood soon dotted the exposed right shoulder.

Jiang Menghe sucked in a sharp breath, frowning as she pressed a hand to the wound.

“You!” Yin Yunzhu was startled by the sudden mishap. She nervously reached out to help but withdrew her hand. “I’ll get the first aid kit.”

Since it was her own cat that caused the trouble, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

After rummaging through the living room for iodine and cotton swabs, she sat beside Jiang Menghe on the sofa to disinfect the wound.

To prevent scratches from the cat, Yin Yunzhu had reluctantly swapped her beloved leather sofa for a fabric one. Though cleaning juice stains was a hassle, over time, she had grown used to its look.

The blood clotted, blending with the love marks on Jiang Menghe’s back, making the wound appear less alarming. Yin Yunzhu carefully dabbed iodine on it, asking now and then if it hurt.

Jiang Menghe patiently answered, finally getting a chance to take in the surroundings.

The home was brimming with life, floral sofa covers tucked into the crevices, a plush rug beneath the coffee table. On the table lay sticky notes and pens, alongside a towering pile of unopened packages.

“Why haven’t you opened so many deliveries?” Jiang Menghe casually picked one up, hearing a rattling sound inside.

“Too busy,” Yin Yunzhu replied half-heartedly, her focus entirely on the injured shoulder. “Don’t move, or it’ll hurt.”

“Isn’t opening packages the most exciting part? It’s like receiving a gift, full of surprises.”

Jiang Menghe flipped the package over to check the label, but the contents were discreetly listed, revealing nothing.

“What’s so surprising about opening packages? It’s not like I don’t know what’s inside,” Yin Yunzhu said dismissively.

“Then can I open this?” Jiang Menghe shook the box in her hand.

With permission granted, she grabbed a key from the table and sliced open the tape. Inside, neatly arranged pink boxes came into view.

She pulled one out and leisurely read the label aloud: “Blocks bacteria, long-lasting lubrication.”

“Give it back!” Yin Yunzhu instantly dropped the cotton swab, lunging to snatch it.

But Jiang Menghe was quicker, holding it out of reach. Off-balance, the two tumbled onto the sofa.

“You bought these behind my back?” Jiang Menghe narrowed her eyes, examining the packaging under the light.

“Why can’t I buy them? Give it back.” Yin Yunzhu enunciated each word, clumsily sprawled over her like a koala.

“Since they’re meant to go inside anyway, why so shy?” Jiang Menghe pinched her flushed cheeks but, considering her embarrassment, handed the box back.

“None of your business,” Yin Yunzhu retorted, defiant despite her lack of justification.

She yanked open the bottom drawer of the coffee table and stuffed the finger cots inside.

Never had she imagined that her laziness would lead to such humiliation in front of Jiang Menghe. She wished she could vanish into thin air.

At first, she had thought that since she was the active one, she should ensure Jiang Menghe had the best experience, she couldn’t just focus on her own pleasure.

Though embarrassed to admit it, what Yin Yunzhu loved most was the expression on Jiang Menghe’s face at the peak of pleasure, every inch of her body trembling in ecstasy, legs tightening around her shoulders like the only anchor in a turbulent sea.

Even during ordinary conversations, just studying Jiang Menghe’s features was enough to send her thoughts spiraling into fantasies.

Their relationship was tainted by too many impure motives. Every meeting inevitably sparked burgeoning emotions, and everything that followed felt like a natural progression.

They were deeply entangled, unable to extricate themselves.

As their eyes met, the familiar spark between them ignited, just as the cautious kitten, now familiar with their scent, crept closer.

Yin Yunzhu seemed to have found the culprit. Turning away with a flushed face, she muttered a threat, “Just you wait. I’ll deal with you later.”

She stood up to chase the cat, but the orange tabby immediately leaped onto the beam above the dining area, looking down smugly at the fuming Yin Yunzhu below.

Jiang Menghe leaned against the sofa, watching their playful scuffle with a smile as drowsiness slowly crept over her.

Perhaps it was the warmth of the heater or the comfort of having someone beside her, but she slept more soundly than before. So much so that the next morning, Yin Yunzhu was the first to wake.

The first thing she saw was a pair of gentle, tranquil eyes. She blinked but didn’t move. Jiang Menghe’s arm was still draped over her waist, their bodies curled together in an embrace.

She tried to move as quietly as possible but still ended up waking the other woman.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Jiang Menghe gazed at Yin Yunzhu’s back as she dressed. “Up so early?”

“Going to buy breakfast. What do you want?” She turned around, zipping up her jacket.

“What’s there?” Jiang Menghe showed no signs of getting up, hugging the blanket and pinning it under her leg. “Same as you, I guess.”

“I’m fine with anything. Whatever you like.”

As usual, Yin Yunzhu lacked decisiveness, relying on others to make the choice.

“I want to eat what you like.”

With that answer, Yin Yunzhu headed downstairs. About ten minutes later, she returned with a bag of breakfast.

The morning air was bitingly cold, the windows fogged with condensation, blurring the view outside. Yin Yunzhu was slightly out of breath, her bangs tousled by the wind, carrying a chill into the room.

Jiang Menghe had already freshened up and was sitting at the dining table, leisurely scrolling through the morning news.

“Is it cold outside?” she asked, watching Yin Yunzhu unwind her scarf and hang it by the door.

“A little,” Yin Yunzhu replied, her knuckles red from the cold. “If you go out, wear more. I have plenty of coats.”

She set the breakfast on the table, steaming soup dumplings, tea eggs, and a container of spicy shredded chicken in broth.

“You usually eat this?” Jiang Menghe took a dumpling, untying the knot to release its fragrant aroma.

She didn’t seem to have the usual disdain for street food, instead treating it as an experience of a completely different way of life.

Yin Yunzhu had assumed celebrities were overly particular about their food and had worried Jiang Menghe might refuse. “You’ll need energy for work later. This is filling.”

Her reasoning was practical and straightforward. Jiang Menghe nodded, peeling open the dumpling skin soaked in broth to reveal the meat filling, then eating it delicately.

Midway through, she suddenly laughed.

“Actors usually watch their diets. Why did you get me meat-filled ones?” The question was tricky, she loved seeing Yin Yunzhu flustered and at a loss for words.

It was their first breakfast together, and Yin Yunzhu sat across from her, slightly nervous. She answered with unusual seriousness.

“You’re too thin. You should gain a little weight.”

The unexpected reply made Jiang Menghe pause. “I’m an actor. Being thin means looking good on camera, having a better figure.”

No matter how much a young actor hones their craft, their face is still their livelihood. As a Beta, her range was already narrower than her Alpha and Omega peers. If she hadn’t been strict with herself, she wouldn’t have reached where she was today.

She thought that given their superficial relationship, Yin Yunzhu would only be attracted to outstanding looks and a perfect figure.

“Being a little plump is healthier,” Yin Yunzhu chewed, swallowed, and then continued, “And it’s, more comfortable to hold.”

The words that followed were too embarrassing to say, but she still mustered the courage to speak. Yin Yunzhu could never be as composed as Jiang Menghe when discussing intimacy, casually suggesting ways to improve the experience.

“Is that so.” Jiang Menghe lowered her long lashes, concealing the shifting thoughts in her eyes.

Pretending not to be moved would be a lie, but reality rarely gave them much time for tenderness. Staring at the manager’s contact on her phone screen, Jiang Menghe had no choice but to suppress her complicated emotions.

Yesterday, after receiving the instructions, Ye Xiyang acted swiftly, purchasing the explosive material from the paparazzi and sending it to her phone.

Yang: [File]

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