The Aloof CEO’s Hidden Temptation - Chapter 6

When the banquet concluded, Aunt Chu solemnly led them to the parlor and placed a call to Ye Yi’an.

“Come over here.”

This location was likely to be the final stage for this farce.

Fu Chaoying sat down, flanked by her eldest aunt and cousin. Amidst Aunt Chu’s repeated words of comfort, she remained silent. She sat with her eyes cast down, deep in thought, her mind surprisingly calm.

Ye Jiayuan had already finished mediating between both sides, all that was left for her to do was play the role of the quiet victim. She didn’t even need to look up. Conveniently, she had no desire to look at Ye Yi’an’s disgusting face anyway.

“Xiao Ying.”

Hearing the deep voice, Fu Chaoying slowly lifted her gaze. She saw Ye Jiayuan standing before her, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, a perfect, polite aloofness.

“Aying.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Fu Chaoying saw Ye Yi’an entering the room.

Standing side by side, the sisters formed a sharp contrast: one was composed and calm, the other flustered and lost.

“I apologize. It is our fault for not raising Ye Yia’n well,” Ye Jiayuan said. Her tone was steady but carried a hint of coldness. As she finished speaking, she tilted her head slightly toward Ye Yi’an, her gaze profound.

The moment she finished speaking, Ye Yi’an abruptly bowed low toward Fu Chaoying.

“Aying, I offer you my sincerest apology.”

Fu Chaoying did not respond. Her eyes were fixed on the engagement ring on Ye Yi’an’s left middle finger. That token, which once symbolized their love, now felt exceptionally ironic.

Ye Yi’an said something else, but Fu Chaoying wasn’t listening. She stared at the ring and finally said in a hoarse voice, “Please take off the ring.”

“Exactly. Why are you still wearing it after breaking up?” Aunt Chu interrupted, her voice tinged with obvious displeasure. “Do you need me to help you take it off?”

Ye Yi’an clearly hadn’t expected this. Caught off guard, she had no choice but to awkwardly pull the ring off her finger.

Everything that followed proceeded logically.

Fu Chaoying’s gaze swept across Ye Jiayuan’s profile. Those eyes were devoid of ripples, appearing to see through everything while hiding a complex depth. Her voice was steady and her tone peaceful, as if she were discussing a business merger.

Yet, the body heat from that night had been unmistakably scorching.

As Ye Yi’an began to ramble about trivial matters, Fu Chaoying leaned gently into her aunt’s embrace and murmured softly, “I’m so sleepy.”

Aunt Chu took the hint and quickly ushered everyone out to rest. Before leaving, she didn’t forget to remind her, “Xiao Ying, if you need anything in the future, just go to our Jiayuan. Don’t be a stranger.”

Fu Chaoying looked up and met Ye Jiayuan’s eyes. The other woman gave a slight nod, the corners of her lips lifting in an almost imperceptible curve.

Chu Yiyun arranged for Ye Jiayuan to drive Fu Chaoying home. Having the head of the family provide the escort was both a gesture of apology and a mark of respect.

Ye Jiayuan’s behavior was impeccably polite. She waited until Fu Chaoying was settled before walking around to the other side of the car. Once the doors were closed, the heater kicked in, shielding them from the outside chill.

In the dim light, Fu Chaoying whispered, “Thank you.”

Ye Jiayuan turned her head, her gaze landing on her face. In the shadows, they looked at each other, the faint sound of their breathing audible in the small space.

Suddenly, a memory of that drunken night flashed through Fu Chaoying’s mind, their breaths mingling, their lips meeting.

“Are you thanking me for driving you home, or for agreeing to be your consultant?” Ye Jiayuan asked. Her voice remained calm, but it held a trace of an elusive lightness.

The interior lights were off. Through the dark windows, Fu Chaoying couldn’t see her expression clearly; she could only judge her mood by the shift in her voice. It was a stark contrast to her demeanor in the parlor.

Fu Chaoying withdrew her gaze and found her breath. “Both.”

She glanced at her from the corner of her eye and noticed that Ye Jiayuan hadn’t looked away. Is she looking at me?

Fu Chaoying’s hands gave a tiny squeeze. When she turned back again, she found that Ye Jiayuan had closed her eyes at some point.

There was no music in the car. It was so quiet that only the sound of their breathing remained. Fu Chaoying used the dim light to “trace” the other woman’s profile, the high bridge of her nose, the perfect line of her lips, and the faint outline of her collarbone. Everything about her defined a sort of “abstinent” beauty.

“I’m going to Singapore on a business trip tomorrow,” Ye Jiayuan said suddenly.

Fu Chaoying quickly looked away, only to realize that Ye Jiayuan’s eyes were still closed.

“Oh,” Fu Chaoying replied.

“So…” Ye Jiayuan slowly opened her eyes and looked directly at her.

Fu Chaoying was stunned for a moment before catching on. “Then… Sister Jiayuan, would you like to stop by my house to pick up the painting?”

Their eyes met. Ye Jiayuan gave a small nod. “Yes.”

Under the warm yellow lights, Fu Chaoying and Ye Jiayuan walked into the house together.

Hearing the commotion, Nanny Wu greeted them joyfully, her face beaming. “Oh, Miss Jiayuan is here! Would you like something to drink? I’ll go brew some flower tea?”

Ye Jiayuan nodded in acknowledgment.

Fu Chaoying started to lead Ye Jiayuan up the stairs but noticed she had stopped in front of an ink wash painting. It was “Beautiful Woman and the Landscape,” a representative work by Fu Chaoying’s grandmother, Fu Li. It was graceful, grand, and possessed a deep atmosphere.

As Ye Jiayuan stood before the painting, Fu Chaoying stopped beside her. They looked at it together until Ye Jiayuan suddenly spoke.

“Did you trace this?”

Every non-artist friend who had ever visited assumed it was an original by Fu Li, given that this was her former residence. Only Ye Jiayuan had recognized it as a copy.

Fu Chaoying was inwardly shocked, though she didn’t show it. “How could you tell?”

Ye Jiayuan raised a hand and pointed to the swirling mist in the painting. “You used pine soot ink here.”

Her grandmother preferred lacquer soot ink, while Fu Chaoying favored pine soot ink. It was rare for someone outside the profession to distinguish between them.

Fu Chaoying secretly admired her, though her expression remained neutral. “Sister Jiayuan is indeed very knowledgeable.”

Ye Jiayuan glanced at her, shook her head imperceptibly, and her eyes crinkled slightly at the corners.

Fu Chaoying led her upstairs to the door of the studio. Ye Jiayuan stopped at the threshold. “I’ll wait for you here.”

Fu Chaoying paused, then reached out and gently took her by the wrist. The skin under her palm was as smooth as jade. It felt different from her cold, stoic personality, it felt warm. Fu Chaoying unconsciously tightened her grip slightly.

Ye Jiayuan allowed herself to be led, her eyes dropping to where their skin touched.

“Look at this one.” Fu Chaoying brought her to stand before a painting.

Ye Jiayuan looked up. The brushwork was soft yet powerful, the ink tones rich in layers, and the overall feel was ethereal and distant. It was a masterpiece of the Southern School style.

“Is it good?” Fu Chaoying tilted her head to look at her.

Ye Jiayuan gazed at it for a moment and nodded. “Are you giving this to me?”

“No.” Fu Chaoying shook her head with a faint smile. “I just wanted to show you my grandmother’s favorite painting.”

It had been painted a week before her grandmother passed away. To this day, Fu Chaoying didn’t know if her grandmother’s claim that it was “the best” or “her favorite” was the truth or just a way to coax her. Her grandmother was always good at coaxing her.

“It is very well painted,” Ye Jiayuan added. “Master Fu had good taste.”

Fu Chaoying felt a stir in her heart and her lips curved upward. The corners of her eyes were still slightly red, and her smile now carried a hint of “shattered” beauty.

Ye Jiayuan discreetly looked away, scanning the walls filled with paintings. “And the painting you’re giving me?”

Fu Chaoying smiled and pointed. “That’s the one.”

Ye Jiayuan’s gaze followed her finger and she froze slightly.

It was an ink painting that was vastly different from the traditional Southern School style, the lines were natural and wild, capturing the spirit of the wilderness. It didn’t rely much on technique, but rather on a sense of freedom and passion.

Ye Jiayuan looked deeply at the painting, then looked deeply at her.

Fu Chaoying met her gaze and blinked softly. “Do you like it?”

Ye Jiayuan was silent for a moment. “This doesn’t look like the Southern School style.”

Of course it didn’t. Fu Chaoying gave a soft “mm.”

Ye Jiayuan saw the slight drooping of Fu Chaoying’s lips out of the corner of her eye, and a hint of a smile flickered in her own eyes. “If I say I like it, will you give it to me?”

Fu Chaoying nodded, a trace of mischief in her eyes. “Of course.”

“So, do you like it?”

It should have been one of those moments where adults leave things unsaid, but Fu Chaoying suddenly felt the urge to push for a real answer.

Ye Jiayuan turned her head helplessly, focusing back on the painting. The room fell into silence. Just as Fu Chaoying was about to turn and get the ladder, she suddenly heard her say…

“I like it.”

Fu Chaoying turned back instantly, her eyes crashing into the other woman’s quiet gaze.

Ye Jiayuan stared into her eyes and repeated, “I like it.”

The emotions in her eyes were too complex. Fu Chaoying could only catch a glimpse of a single part: tenderness.

“Then, I’ll take it down now.” Fu Chaoying turned to find the ladder. Ye Jiayuan helped her move it and held it steady.

After climbing four steps, Fu Chaoying turned back on a whim. At that moment, Ye Jiayuan’s gaze was so steady it felt as if she were anchoring her to the clouds.

Fu Chaoying smiled, took the painting down, carefully rolled it up, and placed it inside a red sandalwood box.

“There’s one more.” Fu Chaoying pointed to the marble tabletop. “I just finished it.”

Ye Jiayuan looked over. “Is that the oil painting from your Friends circle?”

The Friends circle again.

As Ye Jiayuan stood by the table, Fu Chaoying’s gaze lingered on her elegant back. She asked, seemingly casually, “Sister Jiayuan, you saw it too?”

“Yes.”

The answer was obvious. Fu Chaoying stood beside her to pack the painting and joked, “Then when you see them in the future, remember to give me a like.”

“I don’t usually look at the Friends circle,” Ye Jiayuan said, shaking her head slightly.

“It’s okay,” Fu Chaoying shrugged. “You’ve already seen it once anyway.”

Ye Jiayuan pursed her lips, looking as if she wanted to say something, but finally only said, “I rarely have time.”

Fu Chaoying smiled and waved it off. “It’s really okay.”

As they parted, Fu Chaoying stood at the courtyard gate, watching Ye Jiayuan drive away. She didn’t turn back into the house until the taillights disappeared around the corner.

Sticking to her principle of not letting food go to waste, she went inside to eat the “kid’s meal” Nanny Wu had warmed up. She had only taken a few bites when she received a message from Ye Jiayuan:

[When I get back from my business trip, I should have time to have dinner with you.]