She’s Being Naughty - Chapter 8

After her fever broke, Xu Zhaoyi stayed home for two more days.

During these two days, Jiang Yao took exceptionally meticulous care of her, brewing porridge, cooking soup, and reminding her to take her medicine. Every morning and evening, she would stop by Xu Zhaoyi’s room to ask how she was feeling.

Every time, Xu Zhaoyi would keep her head down, mutter “much better,” and then wouldn’t dare say another word.

She didn’t know what kind of attitude to adopt toward Jiang Yao.

Should she remain as confrontational as before?

Or… should she accept her care like she was doing now?

Neither seemed quite right.

On the evening her health had fully recovered, a guest arrived at the house.

It was a friend of Jiang Yao’s, the same Auntie Lin she had seen at the wedding. She looked to be in her forties, possessing a temperament similar to Jiang Yao’s: gentle, soft-spoken, and pleasant.

“Xiao Yao,” Auntie Lin said, taking Jiang Yao’s hand, “I heard you’ve been managing the Xu family’s business affairs lately? Is it going smoothly?”

“It’s alright. Jiancheng handed over a few small projects for me to get familiar with first,” Jiang Yao replied with a smile. “I’m still in the learning phase.”

“You’ve always been clever since you were a girl,” Auntie Lin patted her hand. “You learn everything so fast. Oh, by the way, the gift I brought today is for Zhaozhao.”

As she spoke, she took a small box out of her bag and pushed it toward Xu Zhaoyi. “Come, Zhaozhao, see if you like it.”

Xu Zhaoyi froze for a moment before opening the box.

Inside was an exquisite necklace. The pendant was a tiny diamond rose that sparkled brilliantly under the lights.

“I heard you were sick, so I brought a little gift. I hope you recover quickly,” Auntie Lin said warmly.

Xu Zhaoyi whispered a “thank you” and set the box aside.

Dinner was served at home, home-cooked dishes prepared by the maid that tasted excellent.

In the dining room, Xu Jiancheng and Auntie Lin were discussing business matters. Jiang Yao would occasionally join the conversation or stand up to refill everyone’s tea.

Xu Zhaoyi sat in the corner eating silently, her gaze constantly drifting toward Jiang Yao.

Today, Jiang Yao was wearing a charcoal-grey silk shirt paired with a deep-grey knit cardigan and matching wide leg trousers. Her hair was loosely pinned back, revealing her long, elegant neck. She looked both graceful and sophisticated.

At thirty, Jiang Yao was indeed very charming.

This charm didn’t just come from her looks, it came from her composed temperament, the kind of aura that allowed her to calmly command any situation.

“How has Zhaoyi been lately?” Auntie Lin suddenly turned the topic toward her. “Xiao Yao told me you had a fever recently. Are you feeling better?”

Xu Zhaoyi nodded. “Much better.”

“That’s good.” Auntie Lin looked at her with a gentle gaze. “I heard you’re a junior this year? What’s your major?”

“Business Administration,” Xu Zhaoyi replied.

“Ah, just like what Xiao Yao studied.” Auntie Lin smiled. “She studied the same thing back then. She was a top student in school, winning scholarships every year.”

Jiang Yao pursed her lips into a smile. “Auntie, please don’t flatter me so much.”

“I’m only telling the truth,” Auntie Lin said, turning back to Xu Zhaoyi. “In the future, if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask Xiao Yao. She knows a lot about this field.”

Xu Zhaoyi gave a non-committal hum and lowered her head to eat her rice.

She didn’t want any closer connection with Jiang Yao.

Not at all.

After dinner, they moved to the living room for tea.

Jiang Yao brewed a pot of Pu’er, the tea was a bright reddish-amber and smelled fragrant.

Auntie Lin took a sip and was full of praise. “Xiao Yao’s skill is as good as ever.”

Jiang Yao smiled and poured a cup for Xu Zhaoyi. “Zhaozhao, have some too.”

Xu Zhaoyi reached out to take it.

The teacup was very hot. Her hand jerked, and a bit of tea splashed out, landing on Jiang Yao’s wide leg trousers.

“Oh dear,” Auntie Lin hurried to pull out a tissue. “Be careful.”

Jiang Yao took the tissue and wiped it away, smiling. “It’s nothing, just a little bit.”

But Xu Zhaoyi stared at that water stain, and a thought suddenly popped into her head.

The moment the thought appeared, she startled herself.

But very quickly, it began to grow wildly, spreading like vines through her entire consciousness.

She wanted to see Jiang Yao lose her composure.

She wanted to see the mask of serenity break.

She wanted to see her get angry, lose her temper, or at the very least… frown.

She wanted to see her no longer being so perfect.

So, using the excuse of getting some fruit, Xu Zhaoyi stood up and went to the kitchen.

On the kitchen counter sat an open bottle of red wine left over from dinner, about a third of a bottle remained.

She stared at the wine for a few seconds, then picked up the decanter nearby and poured the remaining wine into it.

The decanter was glass, decorated with intricate carvings, and felt heavy in her hand.

She carried the decanter back to the living room.

Jiang Yao and Auntie Lin were chatting happily and didn’t notice her approaching.

Xu Jiancheng had gone to the study to take a phone call, leaving only the three of them in the living room.

Xu Zhaoyi walked to Jiang Yao’s side, pretending to pour wine into an empty glass.

Then, her hand “accidentally” slipped.

Splash!

The red wine poured out entirely, drenching Jiang Yao’s charcoal-grey silk shirt.

The deep crimson liquid spread rapidly, staining a large portion of the fabric and dripping down. It trailed along the silk onto her trousers, leaving a small, dark puddle on the floor.

The living room fell instantly silent.

Auntie Lin’s mouth hung open as she watched the scene in shock.

Jiang Yao was also stunned, looking down at the massive red stain on her clothes.

Time seemed to freeze.

One second, two seconds.

Xu Zhaoyi gripped the empty decanter, her heart racing.

She waited for Jiang Yao to explode.

She waited for her to scowl.

She waited for even the slightest hint of displeasure.

But Jiang Yao only remained silent for a few seconds before looking up at her.

Her gaze was terrifyingly calm.

There was no anger, no surprise not even a ripple of emotion.

It was as if she had expected this all along.

“Oh my goodness,” Auntie Lin finally snapped out of it, frantically grabbing tissues. “Quick, quick, wipe it! This shirt is silk, we have to treat it immediately.”

Jiang Yao took the tissues and patted the area a few times, but the wine had already soaked in, it wasn’t coming out.

“Sorry,” Xu Zhaoyi heard her own voice say, dry and hollow. “My hand slipped.”

Jiang Yao looked at her again, and then she smiled.

The smile was a bit helpless, and a bit… indulgent?

Like an adult looking at a child playing a prank.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “It’ll come out in the wash.”

Then she set the tissues down, stood up abruptly, and reached out her hand toward Xu Zhaoyi.

Xu Zhaoyi instinctively took half a step back.

But Jiang Yao reached out and grabbed her hand directly.

Her hand was very cool, her fingertips lightly encircling Xu Zhaoyi’s wrist. The grip wasn’t forceful, yet it was impossible to break away from.

“Come,” Jiang Yao led her toward the stairs, “Help me deal with this.”

Xu Zhaoyi’s body was stiff as she was pulled along, her mind a complete blank.

She had thought Jiang Yao would flare up, get angry, or at least say something.

But there was nothing.

Jiang Yao simply led her upstairs with that same calmness and tenderness.

It was as if what had been splashed on her wasn’t red wine, but some insignificant splash of plain water.

Auntie Lin called out from behind them, “Xiao Yao, do you want to change? Should I go find the maid to get some stain remover?”

“No need, Auntie,” Jiang Yao turned back with a smile. “I’ll just take Zhaozhao up to handle it. Have a seat, I’ll be down in a moment.”

With that, she continued leading Xu Zhaoyi to the upper floor.

They reached the third floor and entered the master bedroom.

The walk-in closet in the master bedroom was massive, nearly half the size of Xu Zhaoyi’s entire room. Three sides were lined with custom wardrobes, one side featured glass doors, behind which clothes were hung in perfectly neat rows, organized by color and type.

Another wall consisted of an open shoe rack filled with various styles of footwear.

In the center sat an island with a white marble countertop, topped with several jewelry boxes and perfume bottles.

Jiang Yao pulled Xu Zhaoyi into the closet and casually closed the door behind them.

Click.

The sound of the door lock engaging felt exceptionally sharp in the confined space.

The main light in the closet wasn’t on, only a few recessed LED strips were lit, casting a soft, dim glow.

A faint fragrance permeated the air, the scent of Jiang Yao’s usual perfume mixed with the cedarwood of the wardrobes, and a lingering, subtle sweetness of red wine.

The space suddenly felt very narrow.

Xu Zhaoyi stood there, watching Jiang Yao walk to a wardrobe and open one of the doors.

Inside hung many shirts and dresses, mostly in solid colors with simple, elegant cuts.

Jiang Yao selected a cream-colored shirt and laid it on the center island.

Then, she turned around, her back to Xu Zhaoyi.

Xu Zhaoyi’s heart began to race.

She watched as Jiang Yao raised her hands, her fingers lightly finding the zipper at the back of her shirt.

Zip.

Softly, the zipper was pulled down.

From the nape of her neck all the way down to her waist.

Then, Jiang Yao crossed her arms, gripped the front of the shirt, and gently pulled it aside.

The silk shirt fanned out like petals, revealing her bare shoulders and back.

The lines of her neck and shoulders were smooth and graceful, the contours of her shoulder blades were clearly defined, her waist was slender, and her skin possessed a jade-like, warm luster under the dim light.

Xu Zhaoyi felt her breath catch.

Instinctively, she wanted to turn away, to close her eyes, to pretend she hadn’t seen a thing.

But her eyes felt as if they were pinned in place, unable to move.

With her back still turned, Jiang Yao slowly let the wine-stained shirt slide down, casually draping it over a nearby chair.

Then she turned around, picked up the cream-colored shirt, and began unbuttoning it one by one.

The closet was silent, so silent that the only things audible were their faint breathing and the frantic thudding of Xu Zhaoyi’s heart.

Thump-thump, thump-thump.

Jiang Yao’s fingers undid each button with unhurried grace, acting as if she were performing the most ordinary task in the world.

As the last button was undone, the cream shirt was also draped over the chair.

She was left wearing only a pale pink bra, the thin straps and lace edges cradled the fullness of her chest.

In the dim light, the details were obscured, but the silhouette was clear enough to make one’s heart skip a beat.

Xu Zhaoyi abruptly lowered her head, not daring to look any longer.

Her face was burning fiercely.

“Zhaozhao,” Jiang Yao suddenly spoke, her voice ringing clearly in the small space, “Could you help me get a towel? It’s in the bottom drawer of the cabinet.”

It took Xu Zhaoyi two seconds to process the request.

Keeping her head down, she walked to the cabinet, opened the bottom drawer, pulled out a clean towel, and handed it over.

As she did, her eyes remained fixed on the floor.

The towel was taken, followed by the soft, rustling sound of her wiping her body.

The scent of red wine seemed to grow stronger in the air.

It mingled with Jiang Yao’s perfume, the scent of the silk fabric, and the cedarwood of the closet.

The various aromas interlaced and enveloped them, making it hard to breathe.

Xu Zhaoyi stood there, not daring to move an inch.

She felt like a fool.

Like a primary school student who had made a mistake and been brought to the teacher’s office, standing there helpless.

After a long while, the wiping sounds stopped.

Then came the sound of dressing.

Slipping on the shirt, fastening the buttons, straightening the collar.

The rustling was like silkworms nibbling on mulberry leaves.

“All done,” Jiang Yao finally said.

Only then did Xu Zhaoyi dare to look up.

Jiang Yao was fully dressed now in the cream shirt and dark grey trousers. Her hair was slightly mussed, and her cheeks carried a faint flush.

It was hard to tell if it was from the wine or something else.

She stood there looking at Xu Zhaoyi, her gaze still just as calm and gentle.

“Sorry,” Xu Zhaoyi heard herself say again, her voice so small it was almost inaudible. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Jiang Yao smiled. “I know.”

As she spoke, she walked over and stopped in front of Xu Zhaoyi.

They were very close.

Close enough for Xu Zhaoyi to smell the residual scent of red wine on her, as well as the fresh fragrance of her shampoo.

“Zhaozhao,” Jiang Yao reached out and lightly patted her shoulder, “Next time you want to make me angry, you can try a different way.”

Her voice was still so tender, soft and airy, like she was coaxing a child.

“Spilling red wine is too wasteful,” Jiang Yao continued. “And it’s a hassle to clean up.”

Xu Zhaoyi opened her mouth, wanting to say something.

But not a single word would come out.

She only felt flustered and breathless, her face hot enough to catch fire.

Jiang Yao looked at her, smiled again, and then turned to open the closet door.

“Let’s go,” she said. “Auntie Lin is still waiting downstairs.”

She walked out first.

Xu Zhaoyi stood in the closet for a good while before slowly following her out.

The hallway lights were bright, forming a sharp contrast to the dimness of the closet moments ago.

Jiang Yao had already gone downstairs; the sound of her footsteps grew further and further away.

Standing in the hallway, Xu Zhaoyi looked at the night sky outside the window and took a deep breath.

In the air, there seemed to be a lingering scent, that mix of red wine and perfume.

And the warm breath of Jiang Yao.

She raised her hand and covered her chest.

Her heart was still pounding wildly, as if it were about to leap out of her throat.