The Aloof CEO’s Hidden Temptation - Chapter 9

“Giving it to you wasn’t entirely for your grandmother’s sake.”

Then what was it for?

The moment Ye Jiayuan finished speaking, Fu Chaoying stared into her eyes. As always, those deep pupils concealed complex emotions that she couldn’t quite decipher.

Just as Fu Chaoying waited for her to elaborate, a flirtatious female voice suddenly cut in.

“A-Yuan? You’re here too!”

The voice sounded familiar. Was it the woman who had called Ye Jiayuan back in Nan’an?

Fu Chaoying looked toward the sound and saw a radiant woman with blonde wavy hair walking toward them. She was exceptionally beautiful, carrying herself with an air of sophisticated charm.

As the woman approached, Ye Jiayuan introduced her with a calm expression: “Qu Jingyuan, a colleague.”

Qu Jingyuan let out a soft huff, clearly dissatisfied with the title “colleague.” She sat down directly beside Ye Jiayuan, lightly bumping her shoulder and saying in a pampered tone, “So you’re having dinner with a pretty younger sister. No wonder you wouldn’t tell me why, hmph.”

Watching the intimate interaction between the two across from her, Fu Chaoying remained still, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her gaze casually brushed over Ye Jiayuan’s shoulder, which had subtly moved to avoid the contact.

But that was all. Ye Jiayuan didn’t react strongly to the other woman’s behavior, offering only a simple introduction: “This is Fu Chaoying.”

Fu Chaoying and Qu Jingyuan exchanged glances, and Chaoying gave her a shallow smile.

Qu Jingyuan appeared to be much more than just a “colleague.” Before figuring out the exact nature of their relationship, Fu Chaoying decided to play the role of a socially reserved “I-type” person (introvert).

After a brief exchange, Fu Chaoying’s aunt returned to the table. Following some small talk with Qu Jingyuan, the aunt jokingly remarked to Ye Jiayuan, “Xiao Yuan, it’s about time you start considering your personal life.”

Hearing this, Fu Chaoying’s heart suddenly tightened. She turned her eyes toward Ye Jiayuan, only to find her face maintaining its habitual indifference.

Before Ye Jiayuan could respond, Qu Jingyuan laughed softly and beat her to it: “What does Auntie think of me? Do A-Yuan and I look like a good match?”

The aunt, her gossip instincts piqued, looked between Qu Jingyuan and Ye Jiayuan and echoed with a laugh, “A very good match.”

Even though it was just a joke, Fu Chaoying watched Ye Jiayuan’s expression closely, only to hear Qu Jingyuan ask, “What does the younger sister think?”

Fu Chaoying tilted her head slightly to look directly at Ye Jiayuan, a deep smile curling her lips. “As long as Sister Jiayuan likes it.”

Gazing at the “well-behaved and sensible” girl before her, a trace of an undetectable smile flashed in Ye Jiayuan’s eyes. She turned to Qu Jingyuan and asked, “Aren’t you supposed to head over there?”

Qu Jingyuan rose gracefully but rested her hand on Ye Jiayuan’s shoulder. “How about you? Come with me to offer a toast to a partner.”

Qu Jingyuan’s party was hosting important business partners. Ye Jiayuan nodded in agreement, reminding Fu Anjun and Fu Chaoying that they could contact the driver to take them back whenever they wished. After sending the driver’s number to the two of them, she left with Qu Jingyuan.

After her aunt left for the second half of the social gathering, Fu Chaoying sat alone in the lounge area by the floor-to-ceiling windows, waiting for Ye Jiayuan to return.

Outside, dark clouds rolled in, almost completely obscuring the moon. By the faint moonlight, Fu Chaoying looked out at the waves, though she could only see a small patch of water illuminated by the lights.

“Xiao Ying.”

A cool voice snapped Fu Chaoying out of her thoughts. When she came to, she found Ye Jiayuan standing behind her, her expression appearing slightly softer than usual, perhaps due to the alcohol, Chaoying guessed.

Ye Jiayuan didn’t ask why she was waiting there alone. Fu Chaoying gave a somewhat redundant explanation about her aunt leaving early and followed her into the elevator.

In the confined space, it was so quiet that they could hear each other’s breathing and the faint hum of the elevator.

“Why didn’t you go back first?” Ye Jiayuan asked suddenly.

Fu Chaoying said softly, “You didn’t make me wait very long.” She then added, as if making small talk, “You and your colleague seem to have a very good relationship.”

It sounded like casual chatter, but it felt like a probe.

Ye Jiayuan glanced at her with deep, searching eyes. “Mm. We were university classmates.”

University classmates, colleagues, neither word seemed to have anything to do with “girlfriend.”

Fu Chaoying’s smile deepened. She playfully tugged at Ye Jiayuan’s sleeve, which had come unfastened at some point. “You didn’t finish what you were saying earlier.”

Ye Jiayuan looked down at her hand, a slight curve appearing at the corner of her mouth. “Which part?”

Fu Chaoying patiently reminded her: “The part about giving me the Magnolia Painting.”

“Oh…” Ye Jiayuan seemed to recall.

Fu Chaoying looked up, waiting for the next sentence, only to see Ye Jiayuan slowly lean into her ear. A sudden wave of warm, moist breath hit her.

“It’s a secret.”

Fu Chaoying felt a jolt go through her body. Her ears were filled with that cool yet magnetic voice. For a brief moment, she felt as if she were in a dream.

Having said her piece, Ye Jiayuan pulled back, restoring a proper social distance. The strange sensation slowly dissipated.

“I’ll tell you next time,” Ye Jiayuan said calmly.

Fu Chaoying couldn’t help but think that Ye Jiayuan was always impossible to read like how she proactively explained the painting wasn’t just for her grandmother, yet refused to say why.

Lost in thought, Fu Chaoying didn’t notice her heart rate quietly accelerating.

On the way back to the hotel, Ye Jiayuan took a work call, maintaining her unflappable and indifferent demeanor. When they reached Fu Chaoying’s room, Ye Jiayuan finally finished her work. “I’m staying here too. Call me if you need anything.”

Her politeness was so perfect it was beyond reproach.

Fu Chaoying took the chance to ask, “Will you be at the gala tomorrow night?”

Ye Jiayuan shook her head. “I have an important meeting tomorrow night. You’ll be with Auntie Yun.”

Without further questions, Fu Chaoying nodded goodbye. “Goodnight.”

But just as she was about to close the door, Ye Jiayuan spoke again: “There will be thunderstorms tonight. Remember to lock your windows.” After a pause, she added, “If you’re afraid… your aunt should be back by then.”

Fu Chaoying felt a warmth in her heart at the concern. “Thank you, Sister Jiayuan. I’m surprised you remembered such a small thing.”

“Mm. Goodnight.” Ye Jiayuan turned and left.

Just as Ye Jiayuan had predicted, the thunderstorm arrived an hour later.

Fierce wind and rain lashed against the windows, and thunder and lightning created a terrifying background track. Fu Chaoying had already showered and was now sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at a horror movie on the TV screen.

After several rounds of thunder, she finally glanced toward the window. Being on a high floor, there was nothing to see, but she was no longer that little girl who was terrified of thunder. Over the past few years, she had grown used to watching horror movies alone during storms, the weather could no longer trap her in a cage of fear.

On the contrary, she feared being alone during ordinary, mundane moments. Perhaps it was because she had received so much love from her mother and grandmother in the first twenty years of her life that she could face terror, yet missed the warmth of daily company.

A phone ring interrupted her thoughts. She paused the TV and checked the screen: Ye Yi’an.

Fu Chaoying hung up without hesitation. Two minutes later, a WeChat message arrived: [I heard from Mom that you’re in Singapore with Auntie Fu. The weather is bad tonight. If you’re scared, I can come over to stay with you.]

Fu Chaoying sneered at the screen. When Ye Yi’an went out to entangle herself with another woman on that rainy night, why didn’t she think about whether Chaoying was scared then?

She promptly blocked Ye Yi’an’s WeChat and turned off the screen. Then she realized. Ye Yi’an used the word “come.” Was she in Singapore too?

After another roar of thunder, her phone pinged again. It was from her aunt: [The weather is bad, so I’m staying over here tonight. Take care of yourself. Hug]

The warning Ye Jiayuan had given her before leaving flashed through Fu Chaoying’s mind. A smile crept onto her lips as she dialed a number.

“Sister… I’m scared…”

Fu Chaoying deliberately lowered her voice, adding a slight tremble to convey more emotion.

From the other end came Ye Jiayuan’s steady and gentle voice: “I’m here.”

Just two words, yet they were inexplicably comforting.

Ye Jiayuan followed up with: “Has your aunt not returned yet?”

Fu Chaoying’s mind raced. She gave a soft “mm” in response. Then she heard the other woman ask, “Do you want to come over to my place?”

An atmospheric, ambiguous image flashed through Fu Chaoying’s mind. Her throat felt slightly dry as she asked with feigned hesitation, “The forecast says it’ll be storming all night. Is it… convenient over there, Sister?”

The emphasis was on the last word.

A low roll of thunder sounded outside. Fu Chaoying waited intently for a response, but there was a long silence on the line.

“Sister?”

Wondering if the signal was bad, Fu Chaoying called out tentatively, only to hear a very low chuckle from the other side.

“I’m single. There’s nothing inconvenient about it,” Ye Jiayuan’s answer was concise and clear.