The Devious, Seductive Older Woman Has Been Plotting to Get Me for a Long Time - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Punishment

The message was marked with a red circle, indicating it had failed to send.

So, she didn’t ignore me on purpose.

Xiang Shuxing’s mood suddenly lightened, though she didn’t show it on her face. She gave a light hum and said, “Oh, got it.”

Chu Yingqiu put her phone away. After that, the girl’s mood clearly improved. She stopped keeping her head buried and even chatted a few times. Still a child at heart, Chu Yingqiu mused, her temper flares up and fades away just as quickly.

“Why did you go abroad back then?” Xiang Shuxing hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had been weighing on her mind. Being alone in a foreign land, what was so good about that? If it were her, she would never leave her friends behind.

Chu Yingqiu was silent for a few seconds. “To study.”

That was as good as saying nothing at all, Xiang Shuxing thought to herself, but she didn’t press further. She could tell Chu Yingqiu didn’t want to talk about it.

“Did you meet many friends abroad?”

Chu Yingqiu set down her chopsticks and looked at her quietly. “Why are you suddenly asking these things?”

“I want to understand you better,” Xiang Shuxing said, trying to justify it. “After all, we’ll be living together often from now on.”

“Finish your meal.” Chu Yingqiu’s face remained expressionless.

Seeing this, Xiang Shuxing could only drop the subject. In truth, she didn’t care all that much; it just bothered her that Chu Yingqiu knew everything about the Xiang family, while she knew absolutely nothing about her. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

The meal passed peacefully, much better than the tense atmosphere of their last encounter. Afterward, Xiang Shuxing volunteered to wash the dishes. Chu Yingqiu didn’t stop her and went back to her room.

As expected, an hour later, a knock sounded on her door. Chu Yingqiu opened it to find Xiang Shuxing standing there. The girl’s eyes were clear and gentle, a few strands of soft hair falling against her neck. She held a cup of hot milk, steam rising from it, looking indescribably obedient. Chu Yingqiu studied her for a few seconds before stepping aside to let her in. “Is something the matter?”

Xiang Shuxing had been anxious moments ago, but seeing the woman’s gentle attitude, she instantly felt at ease and followed her inside. The laptop on the desk was lit up; Chu Yingqiu sat back down, apparently busy with work. Xiang Shuxing set down the hot milk and smiled slightly. “It’s getting colder, and I saw we had milk, so I made one for you too.”

Between washing the dishes and bringing the milk, Chu Yingqiu glanced at her. “Out with it.”

“Nothing! I just came to see if you were asleep.”

“No good deed goes unpunished,” Chu Yingqiu said calmly. “I’ll drink the milk later. If there’s nothing else, go on out.”

Hearing her tell her to leave, Xiang Shuxing’s face stiffened. Knowing that if she didn’t speak now, she’d really be kicked out, she gathered her courage: “Actually, there is one thing.”

“I might go out with Fu Jin tomorrow.”

She watched the woman’s expression, asking, “Is that okay?”

Chu Yingqiu remained focused on her screen, saying nothing for a long time. Xiang Shuxing followed her gaze, finding the dense English text on the screen headache-inducing.

“Did you hear me, Chu Yingqiu?”

“No.”

“Why?” Xiang Shuxing frowned, her voice rising. “The rules we set didn’t limit my daily activities, did they?”

To her surprise, the woman remained unmoved. “I said no, and that’s that.”

Xiang Shuxing took a half-step back, annoyed. “Chu Yingqiu, why are you so overbearing? Fu Jin and I grew up together, she’s my best friend. She wouldn’t take me to unsavory places, and I won’t be back late.”

Hearing this, Chu Yingqiu turned to look at her. “That’s what you say?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Fine. You can go.” Chu Yingqiu smiled softly.

She was usually cold, so the sudden smile felt like a spring breeze. Xiang Shuxing was stunned, she hadn’t expected her to relent so quickly. “You’re really letting me go?”

“Mm.”

Xiang Shuxing breathed a sigh of relief and took out her phone to reply to Fu Jin. To her surprise, the woman added: “However, if you return late, don’t forget the punishment we agreed upon.”

“What?” Hearing the word “punishment,” Xiang Shuxing grew alert. She didn’t want to fall into another one of the woman’s traps. “You only said the consequences would be severe; you never mentioned a ‘punishment’.” She grabbed Chu Yingqiu’s arm, unable to help herself. “What is it? Tell me first, don’t try to trick me again.”

Chu Yingqiu’s gaze lingered on the girl’s fair hand. “When have I ever tricked you?”

“Just tell me!” Xiang Shuxing shook her arm, a note of coquettishness she didn’t even realize was there creeping into her voice. “What if it’s something really difficult or impossible for me to do?”

Chu Yingqiu stared at her for a long moment. “As long as you don’t deliberately break the rules, you have nothing to worry about.”

With that short sentence, she shut down the conversation. Xiang Shuxing was speechless for a moment and let go. As she turned to leave, she secretly kicked the leg of the chair. She had intended a quiet act of defiance, but the kick only ended up tripping her. With nothing to grab onto, she closed her eyes as the sensation of falling took over.

Just as she was about to faceplant, a strong hand covered her waist. In the next moment, she fell into a warm, soft embrace. A faint scent of lime surrounded her. Realizing she hadn’t fallen, Xiang Shuxing slowly opened her eyes.

The woman’s face was inches away. They were so close she could see the density of Chu Yingqiu’s eyelashes, and their gazes inevitably locked. Whether from nervousness or something else, her eyes darted uncontrollably from the woman’s exquisite brow to her thin, pressed lips, which seemed to still hold the sweetness of the milk.

“Are you not planning to get up?” Chu Yingqiu asked softly, watching her dazed expression.

Xiang Shuxing snapped back to reality and realized she was sitting on the other woman’s lap, her arms wrapped tightly around Chu Yingqiu’s neck. “I…I didn’t mean to…” She scrambled up immediately.

“Mm. It’s getting late. Go back to your room and rest.” Chu Yingqiu turned away.

Hearing that, Xiang Shuxing fled back to her room. She had never been so embarrassed in her life. The thought of sitting on Chu Yingqiu’s lap made her cover her face; a heat she had never felt before burned from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. How could this happen? She would have preferred to fall on the floor than be held by Chu Yingqiu in such a position.

Xiang Shuxing leaned against the door, trying to steady her breathing. After she calmed down slightly, she sat at her desk and pulled out her phone. Fu Jin had sent more messages, all asking about tomorrow.

Xiang Shuxing took a deep breath and typed out an affirmative reply. She truly couldn’t stay in the same room as Chu Yingqiu anymore, not even for a single second!

The sky was clear and bright. The two met at their usual spot as promised. Fu Jin was surprised to see her familiar friend; Xiang Shuxing usually arrived right on time, but today she was early.

“You got here so early?” Fu Jin walked over with a smile, only to find the girl unresponsive. She waved her hand in front of her face. “What’s wrong with you? We finally got out, and you’re completely distracted.”

“It’s nothing. I didn’t sleep well last night.” Xiang Shuxing looked lethargic.

They ordered a few desserts as usual. While waiting, Fu Jin asked curiously, “I heard President Chu moved into the Xiang house. Are you two getting along?”

“Don’t get me started.” The events of last night automatically replayed in Xiang Shuxing’s mind.

Fu Jin: “I don’t think she’s a bad person.”

Xiang Shuxing raised an eyelid. “You’ve never even met her.”

“You could tell from the Mingchen incident. Besides, Aunt Xiang entrusted you to her; she must be reliable.”

Xiang Shuxing didn’t comment, just rested her chin on her hand and looked out the window. “Let’s talk about something else.”

As a long-time friend, Fu Jin was sensitive to her moods and tactfully changed the subject. Lucheng was beautiful with plenty of entertainment, including a night market. They chatted in the cafe for a while, and as dusk fell, Fu Jin dragged her to a famous snack street.

Xiang Shuxing ordered her favorite barbecue. Thinking about the night before, she didn’t want to go back too soon. The two talked for a long time, forgetting the time. By the time her phone chimed for the third time, Xiang Shuxing opened it slowly, only to sober up instantly when she saw the time.

“I have to go back now.” She nudged Fu Jin.

Her friend didn’t respond. Xiang Shuxing looked over anxiously, only to find Fu Jin passed out drunk on the table. Knowing her friend’s low alcohol tolerance, Xiang Shuxing sighed, shouldered Fu Jin’s weight, and decided to take a cab to drop her off herself.

By the time she hailed a taxi and got home, it was nearly 11:00 PM.

Xiang Shuxing stood at the door, gathered her courage, and pushed the door open quietly. The living room was dark, which actually made her feel a bit more at ease. Maybe Chu Yingqiu is already asleep.

She changed her shoes as quietly as possible, ready to sneak back to her room, when a cold voice suddenly sounded from nearby:

“So, you know how to return.”

The living room lights flared on. The familiar figure was sitting on the sofa, looking cold and severe.

“What did you promise me yesterday? You’re a full two hours past the time we set.”

Xiang Shuxing opened her mouth and walked over slowly. “You…don’t be angry. There’s a reason.”

“Fu Jin got drunk, so I dropped her off before coming back.”

Her voice was soft—different from her usual clear tone. Chu Yingqiu looked up, noticing a faint, flushed red on her fair cheeks and catching the distinct smell of alcohol as she approached.

“You drank too?” Chu Yingqiu frowned.

“Not much,” Xiang Shuxing smiled, pinching her fingertips together. “Just this tiny bit.”

The girl, eyes hazy with intoxication, was nowhere near as sharp as usual. As she sat down, her body tilted, her head resting directly on Chu Yingqiu’s shoulder. Chu Yingqiu turned her head to look at her, her gaze involuntarily dropping to the girl’s parting lips.

To make matters worse, the person beside her leaned in closer, whispering: “So…what exactly is the punishment?”